4-Formylphenoxyacetic acid

123-08-0

79-08-3

22042-71-3

The general procedure for the synthesis of 2-(4-formylphenoxy)acetic acid from p-hydroxybenzaldehyde and bromoacetic acid was as follows: potassium carbonate (24.9 g, 180.0 mmol) was added to a solution of 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (10.0 g, 82.0 mmol) in acetone (150 mL) and the reaction mixture was stirred for 15 min at 40 °C. Subsequently, bromoacetic acid (12.0 g, 86.0 mmol) was added slowly in batches and the reaction mixture was heated to reflux for 18 hours. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled and diluted by adding water (200 mL). The reaction mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (2 x 200 mL) and after combining the organic phases, the aqueous layer was adjusted to pH 2 with 6N hydrochloric acid. the aqueous layer was again extracted with ethyl acetate (2 x 400 mL), the organic phases were combined and washed with water (200 mL), dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate and finally concentrated under vacuum. The residue was ground with isohexane to afford the target compound 2-(4-formylphenoxy)acetic acid (13.5 g, 91% yield) as a creamy white solid.1H NMR (d6-DMSO) δ: 13.12 (br s, 1H), 9.87 (s, 1H), 7.88-7.85 (m, 2H), 7.12-7.10 (m, 2H). 4.83 (s, 2H).