Benzyl Bromide → Methyl 2-(benzyloxy)acetate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a stirred solution of methyl glycolate (2 g, 22.2 mmol) in anhydrous diethyl ether (100 mL), at room temperature, under a nitrogen atmosphere, was added silver(I)oxide (10.3 g, 44.4 mmol). The suspension was stirred for 15 minutes and benzyl bromide (4.5 g, 26.3 mmol) was added. The mixture was stirred at the same temperature for 24 h and the insoluble materials were removed by filtration through a short pad of celite. The filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure and the crude product chromatographed over a column of silica gel, eluting with 20% diethyl ether-petroleum ether to give 70, as a colorless liquid in 70% yield (2.8 g).

Provenance & Evidence