Methyl iodide → 1-Methyl-4-nitroimidazole

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a mixture of 4-nitro-1H-imidazole (2.0 g, 17.7 mmol) and K2CO3 (3.67 g, 26.5 mmol) in acetonitrile (20 mL) was added iodomethane (1.3 mL, 3.0 g, 21.2 mmol) dropwise while stirring at room temperature. The resulting mixture was stirred at 60° C. overnight. It was then evaporated under reduced pressure and the residue was diluted with water (20 mL). The mixture was extracted with dichloromethane (2×20 mL). The combined extract was concentrated under reduced pressure and the residue was purified by silica-gel column chromatography eluting with 100:1 dichloromethane/methanol to afford 268a as a yellow solid (1.8 g, 82%). MS-ESI: [M+H]+ 128.1. 1H NMR (500 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ 8.37 (s, 1H), 7.82 (s, 1H), 3.76 (s, 3H).

Provenance & Evidence