(2S)-(Methylamino)(phenyl)acetic acid → (S)-2-(Methylamino)-2-phenylethanol

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a suspension of LiAlH4 (0.689 g, 18.16 mmol) in THF (20.18 mL) was added (S)-2-(methylamino)-2-phenylacetic acid (1 g, 6.05 mmol) in THF (20 mL) slowly over 10 min at 0° C. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for overnight. After quenched with water (0.7 mL), NaOH (2.1 mL), water (0.7 mL). The reaction mixture was filtered off. The filtrate was extracted with EtOAc 3 times. The combined organic layer was washed with water and brine, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filtered off, and concentrated in vacuo. The crude product was purified by flash chromatography (10% methanol in DCM) yielding (S)-2-(methylamino)-2-phenylethanol as a colorless oil in 55% yield. LCMS (m/z): 152.1 (MH+), 0.31 min; 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ7.40-7.33 (m, 2H), 7.32-7.27 (m, 3H), 3.77-3.69 (m, 1H), 3.69-3.63 (m, 1H), 3.58 (d, J=9.8 Hz, 1H), 2.36 (s, 3H).

Provenance & Evidence