Hydrochloric Acid → Ethyl 4,4-difluoroacetoacetate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

In a sulfonation flask, N,N-diethyl-2,2-difluoroacetamide (1.51 g; 10 mmol) was dissolved in ethyl acetate (20 ml) before ethanolic sodium ethoxide (15 ml of a 21% solution; 40.2 mmol) was added dropwise. The resulting mixture was stirred at 60° C. for 6 hours. After cooling, the mixture was poured into ice-water (20 ml), acidified with hydrochloric acid (10%) and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic phase was washed with brine, dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated in a water jet vacuum. The residue was purified by distillation under reduced pressure to give the desired 4,4-difluoro-3-oxo-butanoic acid ethyl ester in the form of a colourless oil.

Provenance & Evidence