Synthesis
GENERAL PROCEDURE: Methoxymethylamine (0.360 g, 6.0 mmol) and valproic acid (0.244 g, 2.0 mmol) were dissolved in anhydrous toluene (10 mL) and stirred for 10 min at 0 °C. Subsequently, a solution of phosphorus trichloride (0.137 g, 1.0 mmol) in anhydrous toluene (2 mL) was slowly added dropwise to the reaction mixture. After the dropwise addition, the reaction mixture was gradually warmed up to room temperature and stirring was continued for 0.5 h at 60 °C. The progress of the reaction was monitored by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and after confirming the completion of the reaction, the mixture was cooled to room temperature. The reaction was quenched with saturated sodium bicarbonate solution (20 mL) and subsequently extracted with ethyl acetate (3 x 10 mL). The organic phases were combined and dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The solvent was removed by concentration under reduced pressure to give the crude product. The crude product was purified by column chromatography (silica gel, petroleum ether-ethyl acetate, 3:2) to afford N-methoxy-N,2,2-trimethylpropionamide (3a) as a colorless oil. Yield: 320 mg (97%).
References
[1] Synthesis (Germany), 2014, vol. 46, # 3, p. 320 - 330
[2] Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2004, vol. 69, # 25, p. 8984 - 8986
