Ethanol → ethyl (2S)-2-phenylpropanoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution consisting of (S)-2-phenylpropanoic acid (1.0 g, 6.7 mmol, from Chem-Impex) in ethanol (30 mL) was added concentrated sulfuric acid (4 drops). The reaction mixture was stirred at reflux overnight in a vessel equipped with a Dean-Stark condenser. To the mixture was added solid sodium bicarbonate and the resulting mixture was filtered and concentrated under vacuum to afford the title compound (1.0 g, 84%) as a colorless oil; TLC Rf 0.5 (solvent system: 15:85:1 v/v/v ethyl acetate-heptane-acetic acid). The product was carried directly onto the next step without further purification.

Provenance & Evidence