Methyl acetoacetate → Methyl 2-(4-methylthiophenacyl)acetoacetate

Participants

Reaction Steps

2.28 g (19.7 mmol) of methyl acetoacetate were dissolved in 40 ml of 2-methyl-2-propanol, and 2.21 g (19.7 mmol) of potassium t-butoxide were added to the resulting solution under a nitrogen atmosphere. The mixture was then stirred at room temperature for 1 hour, after which a solution of 4.82 g (19.7 mmol) of 4-methylthiophenacyl bromide in 30 ml of benzene was added dropwise to the resulting mixture. The mixture was then stirred at 60° C. for 3 hours, after which it was cooled. It was then poured into ice-water and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic extract was washed with a saturated aqueous solution of sodium chloride, and then dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The solvent was then removed by distillation under reduced pressure. The resulting residue was applied to a silica gel chromatography column and eluted with a 1:4 by volume mixture of ethyl acetate and hexane, to give 4.42 g (yield 80%) of the title compound as a slightly yellow powder.

Provenance & Evidence