Chloroacetic Acid → Tributyl(carboxymethyl)phosphanium chloride

Participants

Reaction Steps

Tri-n-butyl phosphine (4.04 g, 0.02 mole) was added dropwise to a rapidly stirred solution of monochloroacetic acid (1.85 g, 0.02 mole) and 3.2 ml of methanol. The addition of the phosphine was at a rate such that the reaction temperature did not exceed about 30° C. The methanol solvent was subsequently evaporated under reduced pressure leaving a colorless viscous liquid whose infrared spectrum and elemental analysis corresponded to a compound of the formula

Provenance & Evidence