Diethyl Oxalate → Ethyl 2-(5-bromo-2-(methoxymethoxy)phenyl)-2-oxoacetate

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of 2,4-dibromo-1-(methoxymethoxy)benzene (40.5 g, 137 mmol) in Et2O (140 mL) was cooled to −78° C. and treated with n-BuLi (2.5M in hexanes; 60.2 mL, 151 mmol) under nitrogen atmosphere. After 30 minutes a solution of diethyl oxalate (27.9 mL, 205 mmol) in Et2O (20 mL) was added dropwise. The reaction mixture was stirred for 45 minutes at that temperature then quenched cold with saturated ammonium chloride solution. The mixture was partitioned between Et2O and water. The organic phase was separated, washed with water, brine, then dried over MgSO4. The solvent was removed under reduced pressure to afford 49 g of ethyl 2-(5-bromo-2-(methoxymethoxy)phenyl)-2-oxoacetate, which was used in the next step without further purification.

Provenance & Evidence