Methanol → Methyl 2-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)acetate

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture solution of 2-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)acetonitrile (2) (9.395 g, 64.7 mmol) in methanol was refluxed with H2SO4 3.5 ml (64.7 mmol) for 3 days. The mixture was cooled, diluted with H2O and concentrated in vacuo under sodium bicarbonate. The residue was separated H2O and CH2Cl2 and the H2O layer was extracted with CH2Cl2 several times. The combined organic layers were washed with H2O, dried over MgSO4, and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified by flash column chromatography on silica gel with EtOAc/hexanes (1:10) as an eluant to give compound 4.

Provenance & Evidence