Benzyl Alcohol → Pentafluorobenzoic acid, benzyl ester

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A solution of 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzoic acid (15.25 g, 71.9 mmol), 4-dimethylaminopyridine (4.4 g, 36.0 mmol) and benzyl alcohol (7.4 mL, 71.5 mmol) in dichloromethane (150 mL) is cooled to 0° C. under an inert atmosphere. 1-[3-(Dimethylamino)propyl]-3-ethyl carbodiimide hydrochloride (16.7 g, 87.1 mmol) is added and the mixture stirred at 0° C. for 2 hours. The mixture is warmed to ambient temperature, stirred for 24 hours, and then poured into brine. The mixture is extracted with chloroform and the organic phase washed with NaHCO3, dried over Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated under vacuum to yield the title compound as a white solid (16.7 g). This material is used without further purification. 1H NMR (CDCl3): δ 7.49-7.27 (m, 5H), 5.40 (s, 2H).

Provenance & Evidence