Methanol → Methyl (3-cyano-4,5-dihydroxyphenyl)glyoxylate

Participants

Reaction Steps

4.8 ml of boron tribromide dissolved in 20 ml of methylene chloride are added dropwise while cooling with ice within 20 minutes to 4.0 g of hexyl (3-cyano-4,5-dimethoxyphenyl)glyoxylate dissolved in 100 ml of methylene chloride and the reaction mixture is stirred at room temperature for 18 hours. 40 ml of methanol are subsequently added dropwise thereto at -60°, the mixture is stirred at room temperature for 1 hour and evaporated. The residue is taken up in methanol. It is heated under reflux for 10 minutes, evaporated to dryness and dried in a high vacuum. The thus-obtained crude product is recrystallized from acetonitrile. There is obtained methyl (3-cyano-4,5-dihydroxyphenyl)glyoxylate of m.p. 252°.

Provenance & Evidence