Reaction #742247

Reaction equation

(E)-3-(2-hydroxy-phenyl)-2-methyl-acrylic acid ethyl ester

potassium hydroxide

potassium hydroxide

→

(E)-3(2-Hydroxy-phenyl)-2-methyl-acrylic acid

Solvents

ether

ethanol

water

Conditions

Workup

1. 1
   TemperatureAfter refluxing for 5 hours
2. 2
   Temperaturewas refluxed for another 19 hours
3. 3
   TemperatureThen the reaction mixture was cooled down
4. 4
   Washwashed to pH 4 with HCl 2N and water
5. 5
   OtherThe organic phase was dried
6. 6
   Filtrationfiltered
7. 7
   Otherevaporated to dryness

Procedure

To a solution of 35.5 g of (E)-3-(2-hydroxy-phenyl)-2-methyl-acrylic acid ethyl ester in 600 ml of ethanol, a solution of 10.66 g of potassium hydroxide in 500 ml of water was dropped in. After refluxing for 5 hours, another 5.0 g of potassium hydroxide was put in and the mixture was refluxed for another 19 hours. Then the reaction mixture was cooled down, diluted with ether and washed to pH 4 with HCl 2N and water. The organic phase was dried, filtered and evaporated to dryness. The resulting colourless crystals were not further purified.

Source