Hydrochloric Acid → 2-[(Benzoyloxy)methyl]benzoic acid

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Phthalide (134 g, 1 mole) is dissolved in 20% NaOH (715 ml, 3.58 mole) by heating the mixture to about 60° C. The obtained solution is diluted with water (750 ml) and ice (5 kg). Benzoyl chloride (151 ml, 1.3 mole) is added in 10 minutes with vigorous stirring and about 1 hour later the pH of the reaction mixture is brought to 2.5 by the addition of 10% HCl (750 ml). The solid which is collected under vacuum filtration is washed carefully with warm water (4×1500 ml) and crystallized from ethanol/water 7/3 (800 ml), yielding 98.2 g of 2-benzoyloxymethylbenzoic acid. M.p. 118°-124° C.

Provenance & Evidence