Methanol → Methyl 3-fluoromethyl-5-hydroxymethylbenzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

Dimethyl 5-fluoromethylisophthalate (33) (3.16 g, 14.0 mmol) was dissolved in THF (10.5 mL). The air was evacuated from the reaction system, and then Ar was charged therein. To the solution were added NaBH4 (638 mg, 16.9 mmol), and then a mixted solution of THF:MeOH (8.8 mL:2.6 mL) slowly dropwise. The reaction mixture was refluxed for 1 hour. TLC was used to confirm the progress of the reaction. Then, the reaction was quenched with HCl (1 N, 14 mL). The mixture was extracted with EtOAc. The organic layer was washed with a saturated sodium chloride aqueous solution, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and evaporated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by neutral silica gel column chromatography (hexane:EtOAc=5:1 to 2:1) to isolate methyl 3-fluoromethyl-5-hydroxymethylbenzoate (34) (2.21 g, 80%) as white crystals.

Provenance & Evidence