Ethanol → 4-(Tetradecyloxy)benzoic acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 120 g of methyl p-(tetradecyloxy)benzoate, 57.96 g of potassium hydroxide, 1-liter of methyl alcohol, 400 ml of ethyl alcohol and 60 ml of water is refluxed for 4.5 hours. A solid is formed and the reaction mixture partitioned between dilute hydrochloric acid and chloroform with some warming. The organic layer is washed with warm dilute hydrochloric acid and dried. The filtrate is evaporated to a volume of 600 ml and an equal volume of hexanes added to form a solid which is dried to give 104 g of the desired product as a white solid, m.p. 94°-96° C.

Provenance & Evidence