Acetic Acid → Ethyl 3-(3-methylphenyl)-3-oxopropanoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a vigorously stirred suspension of NaH (564 mg, 48.5 mmol) and CO(OEt)2 (5.73 g, 48.5 mmol) in anhydrous toluene (50 ml) was added dropwise a solution of 3-methylacetophenone (4.33 g, 32.3 mmole) in toluene under reflux. The mixture was allowed to reflux and was stirred for 30 min after the addition was complete. When cooled to room temperature, the mixture was acidified with glacial AcOH. After ice-cold water was added, the mixture was extracted with toluene. The organic layer was dried over MgSO4, and evaporated. The residue was further chromatographed over silica gel by elution with CH2Cl2-n-haxane (3:2) to afford I-10-b as light-yellow liquid (3.13 g, 46.9%)

Provenance & Evidence