Sulfuric Acid → Benzoic acid, 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-, methyl ester

Participants

Reaction Steps

2-Hydroxy-3-methylbenzoic acid (24.9 g, 0.164 mol) was dissolved in methanol (200 mL), then sulfuric acid (1.75 mL, 32.8 mmol) was added thereto, and then the reaction mixture was refluxed for 7 days. After the reaction mixture was poured into saturated aqueous NaHCO3 solution (300 mL), methanol was removed under reduced pressure. The aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (500 mL), then the organic layer was washed with saturated aqueous NaHCO3 solution (200 mL) and saturated brine (100 mL) successively, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and then the solvent was removed under reduced pressure to give the titled reference compound (23.0 g) as a pale brown oil. (Yield 84%)

Provenance & Evidence