Potassium Hydroxide → Ethyl Acetate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a stirred solution of 2-acetoxy-methyl-5-methoxy-pyridine (1.41 g, 7.8 mmol) in methanol (30 mL) was added excess potassium hydroxide (1.6 g), and the mixture was refluxed for 2 hours. The solvent was removed in vacuo, and the residue was purified by column chromatography eluting with a heptane to ethyl acetate gradient. The extremely volatile 2-hydroxy-methyl-5-methoxy-pyridine was obtained as a solution in ethyl acetate (0.68 g, 63% yield).

Provenance & Evidence