Ethanol → Ethyl caprate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

n-Decanoic acid (17.2 g), 36N aqueous sulphuric acid solution (3 cc) and ethanol (300 cc) are heated to boiling for 4 hours. After being cooled to a temperature in the region of 20° C., the solution is concentrated to dryness at 50° C. under vacuum (20 mm Hg; 2.7 kPa), and the residue is then taken up with dichloromethane (200 cc). The organic phase is washed with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution (2×100 cc), separated off after settling has taken place, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulphate, filtered and concentrated to dryness at 40° C. under reduced pressure (20 mm Hg; 2.7 kPa). Ethyl n-decanoate (18 g) is thereby obtained, and is used in the crude state in the subsequent syntheses.

Provenance & Evidence