Hydrochloric Acid → 5-cyano-1H-indole-2-carboxylic Acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

5-Cyano-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (1.71 g, 8.0 mmol) was added to a solution of ethanol (10 mL) and potassium hydroxide (2 g) and the resulting mixture heated at reflux for 1 hour. Water was added to dissolve the precipitate, and 6N HCl was added to bring the pH to 1. A precipitate formed. The mixture was cooled in an ice bath, filtered, and the resulting colorless solid washed with cold water and dried (1.51 g). A portion (1.4 g) was suspended in hot acetic acid (40 mL) and cooled giving a solid which was filtered, washed with cold ethyl acetate and dried: Yield 980 mg 70%; HPLC (60/40) 3.09 minutes (97%).

Provenance & Evidence