1-Methylimidazole → ethyl 1-methyl-1H-imidazole-2-carboxylate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of N-methylimidazole (5 g, 0.06 mol), acetonitrile (32 mL) and triethylamine (15 mL), cooled to −20° C. was added ethyl chloroformate (13 mL, 0.137 mol), and the mixture allowed to slowly warm to room temperature and stirred for 3.5 hr. The solution was filtered (triethylamine hydrochloride) and concentrated under vacuum. The residue was purified by distillation under reduced pressure (0 Torr, 102° C.) to yield the product as a white solid. Yield (6.26 g, 68%) 1H NMR (DMSO): δ 7.44 (d, 1H, J=2.8 Hz), 7.04 (d, 1H, J=2.8 Hz), 4.26 (q, 2H, J=3.5 Hz), 3.91 (s, 3H), 1.26 (t, 3 h, J=3.5 Hz). 13C (DMSO): 159.3, 129.1, 127.7, 61.0, 36.0, 14.5.

Provenance & Evidence