Methyl 4-trifluoromethylbenzoate

Methyl 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoate can be used as a pharmaceutical chemical and organic synthesis intermediate. In organic synthesis transformations, the ester group in methyl 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoate is a powerful functional group transformation intermediate.

clear colorless to very pale yellow liquid

Methyl 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoate is an ester. The reduction of methyl (4-trifluoromethyl)benzoate catalyzed by MoO₂Cl₂ was reported.

Methyl 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoate is an ester. The reduction of methyl (4-trifluoromethyl)benzoate catalyzed by MoO₂Cl₂ was reported.

To a two-necked round-bottomed flask equipped with a magnetic stirring bar and a reflux condenser were added aryl alkyl ketones (1 mmol, 1 equiv.), ammonium iodide (10 mol%) and methanol (5 ml) and the reaction mixture was stirred for some time. Then 3 equivalents of potassium peroxymonosulfate was slowly added to the mixture and the resulting solution was allowed to stir the reaction at 60 degrees Celsius for 30 h. The reaction was then quenched with aqueous sodium thiosulfate and the mixture was vigorously stirred for a few minutes. The reaction mixture was extracted with EtOAc (3x15 mL), the organic phase was washed with water (2x5 mL), then the organic phase was dried with anhydrous Na2SO4, filtered and the solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure, and the residue was purified by column chromatography (silica gel, hexane/ethyl acetate mixture) to give methyl 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoate.