Cyanoacetic acid → 3-(2-Cyano-acetoxy)-butyric acid ethyl ester

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 194.0 g of ethyl-3-hydroxybutyrate, 149.83 g of cyanoacetic acid, and 10.76 g of 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) was stirred in 1500 ml of CH2Cl2 in a 3 L three-neck round bottom flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer. About 75 ml of N-N′-dimethylformamide (DMF) was added to the above mixture to make a clear solution. The above solution was chilled in an ice water bath. A separately prepared dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) solution (363.45 g in 600 ml CH2Cl2) was added to the above chilled solution by using an addition funnel. White precipitate formed within five minutes after the start of the addition. The reaction mixture was left stirred overnight.

Provenance & Evidence