Chemical Properties
white to slightly yellow crystalline powder
Uses
4-Phenoxybenzoic acid can block DNA binding of the human papillomarvirus (HPV) E2 protein. It is employed as an intermediate of Sitafloxacin, which is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic that shows promise in the treatment of Buruli ulcer.
Definition
ChEBI: A phenoxybenzoic acid in which the phenoxy group is para to the carboxy group.
Safety Profile
A poison by intravenous route. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating vapors.
Synthesis
4-Phenoxybenzoic acid was synthesized by oxidizing 4-phenoxyacetophenone with sodium hypochlorite as the oxidizing agent under the effect of phase transfer catalyst polyethylene glycol (PEG)-400, and the conditions of material ratio of the oxidation reaction, the selection and dosage of the phase transfer catalyst, and the pH of the reaction mixture were investigated in depth. The optimum conditions were as follows: 4-phenoxyacetophenone:sodium hypochlorite:PEG-400 was 1 mol:4 mol:150 mL, the pH of the reaction mixture was 12~13 (the effective chlorine of sodium hypochlorite was required to be >15%), and the product yield was more than 92%.
