Ethyl 2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate → Ethyl 2-hydroxycyclopentanecarboxylate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

1st method: 10 g of sodium borohydride are added to a solution of 62.4 g (0.4 mole) of 2-oxo-cyclopentylcarboxylic acid ethyl ester in 200 ml of methanol cooled to 0° C. When the reaction, which is followed by thin layer chromatography, is completed, the reaction mixture is poured with caution into an aqueous solution saturated with NaH2PO4. By extracting with ethyl ether and subsequently evaporating off the solvent, a residue is obtained which is purified by under vacuum distillation yielding 44 g of 2-hydroxy-cyclopentylcarboxylic acid ethyl ester (b.p. 87° C./0.3 mmHg).

Provenance & Evidence