Sulfuric Acid → 1-Methylethyl (2E)-2-butenoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

Crotonic acid (193.7 g, 2.25 mol) was dissolved in 2-propanol (860 mL, 11.25 mol) in a 2 L flask and then well stirred, after which sulfuric acid (24 mL, 0.45 mol) was slowly added in droplets to the mixture and refluxed and stirred for 48 hours or longer. The stirred mixture was cooled to room temperature, after which the obtained mixture was washed with distilled water (1000 mL), and the organic layer was separated, neutralized and subjected to atmospheric distillation (80° C.), thus obtaining 220 g (1.71 mol, yield 76.3%) of crotonic acid isopropyl ester.

Provenance & Evidence