Ethanol → Ethyl (2E)-4-oxo-4-phenyl-2-butenoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 7.50 g of trans-β-benzoylacrylic acid, 2.36 g of ethanol, 0.50 g of sulfuric acid and 30 ml of chloroform was refluxed for 5 hours while azeotropically removing water produced from the reaction system. After cooling, the reaction mixture was washed with a saturated solution of NaHCO and then with water. The solvent was distilled away to give 8.08 g of ethyl trans-β-benzoylacrylate.

Provenance & Evidence