Phenylacetic Acid → N-Methyl-2-phenylacetamide

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Reaction Steps

Phenylacetic acid (10 g, 73.5 mmol) and methanol (60 ml) were added to a 250 ml three-necked flask, followed by addition of 10 drops concentrated sulphuric acid. The resulting solution was heated to reflux for 2 hours. Then, the solution was cooled to room temperature, followed by adding 25-30% aqueous solution of methylamine (50 ml, approximately 403 mmol), and heated to reflux for another 3 hours. After the reaction was completed, it was cooled to room temperature. Most of the solvent was removed by rotary vacuum evaporation, 30 ml of water was added thereinto, and then the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (3×80 ml). The combined organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtrated, and concentrated under reduced pressure to yield 10.1 g of N-methyl phenylacetamide (white solid, yield: 91.8%).

Provenance & Evidence