Hydrochloric Acid → 4-(Hydroxymethyl)phenylacetic acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of 9.00 g (39.3 mmol) of p-bromomethylphenylacetic acid, 3.14 g (78.6 mmol) of sodium hydroxide and 3.54 g (43.2 mmol) of sodium acetate in 40 ml of water was stirred for 4 hours at 100° C. At the end of this time, it was cooled to room temperature and then acidified with 2N aqueous hydrochloric acid. It was then extracted with ethyl acetate. The extract was washed with a saturated aqueous solution of sodium chloride. The organic phase was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and the solvent was removed by distillation under reduced pressure. The resulting residue was recrystallized from a mixture of ethyl acetate and methylene chloride to give 3.60 g (yield 55%) of the title compound, melting at 136°-137° C.

Provenance & Evidence