Methyl 4-Formylbenzoate → Methyl 4-[(RS)-hydroxy(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)methyl]benzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

n-BuLi (4.4 mL of a 2.5 M solution in hexanes, 11 mmol) was added dropwise to a solution of 6-methoxy-2-bromonaphthalene (2.4 g, 10 mmol) in 80 mL of THF cooled in dry ice-acetone bath. After aging for 15 min, the cold mixture was quickly cannulated to a stirring mixture of methyl 4-formylbenzoate (1.64 g, 10 mmol) in 20 mL of THF cooled in dry ice-acetone bath. After stirring for an additional 15 min, the reaction mixture was poured into a mixture of aq ammonium chloride, hexanes and EtOAc. The organic phase was separated, concentrated and purified by flash chromatography on silica gel (mobile phase=10% to 30% EtOAc in hexanes) to give the title compound as a racemic mixture.

Provenance & Evidence