4-Chloro-3-methylphenol → 2-(Bromomethyl)-1-chloro-4-methoxybenzene

Participants

Reaction Steps

Methyl iodide (110 g was added dropwise to a stirred solution of 4-chloro-3-methylphenol (100 g) and potassium carbonate (194 g) in acetone (500 ml). The mixture was stirred for 1.5 hours. Methyl iodide (142 g) was added and the mixture stirred for a further hour. Solvent was removed by evaporation and the residue partitioned between water and ethyl acetate. The organic layer yielded an oil which was heated under reflux for 2 hours with N-bromosuccinimide (119 g) and benzoyl peroxide (1 g) in carbon tetrachloride (250 ml). The mixture was cooled, filtered and the filtrate concentrated to give a residue which was distilled under high vacuum. The fractions collected between 88° and 94° C./0.4 mbar were recrystallised from petroleum ether (b.p. 60°-80° C.) to give 2-chloro-5-methoxy benzyl bromide, m.p. 51°-52° C.

Provenance & Evidence