Formic Acid → Ethyl 3-(4-cyanophenyl)propanoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

Pd/C (5 g, 10%) was added to a solution of 3-(4-cyanophenyl)acrylic acid ethyl ester (50 g, 0.25 mol; see step (i) above) in dry ethyl acetate (500 mL) under a nitrogen atmosphere, followed by triethylamine (50.3 g, 0.5 mol) and formic acid (57.2 g, 1.24 mol). The mixture was refluxed overnight under a nitrogen atmosphere. After the completion of the reaction (monitored by TLC), the mixture was filtered and the filtrate then washed with water, 5% NaHCO3 solution and brine, before being dried over sodium sulfate. Solvent evaporation under reduced pressure yielded 50 g (99%) of the sub-title compound as a pale yellow oil.

Provenance & Evidence