Benzyl Bromide → Benzyl 4-hydroxymethylphenylacetate

Participants

Reaction Steps

2.52 g (23.8 mmol) of sodium carbonate and 8.13 g (47.6 mmol) of benzyl bromide were added to a solution of 3.95 g (23.8 mmol) of 4-Hydroxymethylphenylacetic acid [prepared as described in step (i) above] in 40 ml of N,N-dimethylformamide, and the resulting mixture was stirred for 3.5 hours. At the end of this time, the reaction mixture was diluted with diethyl ether, and the diluted mixture was washed with water and then with a saturated aqueous solution of sodium chloride. The organic phase was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and the solvent was distilled off. The resulting residue was purified by column chromatography through 200 g of silica gel, using a gradient elution method, with mixtures of methylene chloride and ethyl acetate in ratios ranging from 100:5 to 100:10 by volume as the eluent, to give 5.03 g (yield 82%) of the title compound as an oil.

Provenance & Evidence