Pyridine → Ethyl (2-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)(oxo)acetate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A solution of ethyl chlorooxoacetate (22.53 g, 0.165 mol) in diethyl ether (100 mL) was added over a period of 15 minutes to a cooled (0° C.) solution of 2-methylindole (19.7 g, 0.15 mol) and pyridine (14.2 g, 0.18 mol) in diethyl ether (200 mL). The reaction was stirred for two hours at 0° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere. Most of the diethyl ether had evaporated by the end of the two-hour reaction time, and a solid was present. Water (100 mL) was added, and the solid was isolated by filtration and washed with 1:1 diethyl ether/hexane. The solid (27.9 g) was then dissolved in boiling toluene (250 mL) and recrystallized upon cooling to 6° C. The crystals were isolated by filtration, washed with toluene, dried for two hours on the vacuum filter funnel, triturated with water at 75° C. for five minutes, isolated by filtration, and dried for three hours on the filter funnel to provide 17.8 g ethyl (2-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)(oxo)acetate of as a rust-colored powder.

Provenance & Evidence