5335-05-7

50-00-0

98-88-4

5335-05-7

The general procedure for the synthesis of chloromethyl benzoate from formaldehyde and benzoyl chloride was as follows: paraformaldehyde (4.5 g) was mixed with a catalytic amount of zinc chloride at 0°C. Subsequently, benzoyl chloride (0.142 mol, 20 g) was added slowly and dropwise over a period of 1 hour. The reaction mixture was gradually warmed up to room temperature, then heated to 55 °C and maintained at this temperature for 10 h of reaction. The progress of the reaction was monitored by thin layer chromatography (TLC, silica gel plate, unfolding agent ratio 5:95 ethyl acetate/hexane). If the TLC showed that there were still raw materials unreacted, 1 g of paraformaldehyde was added additionally. After continuing the reaction with stirring at 55 °C for 10 h, the reaction mixture was cooled and purified by fast column chromatography (500 g silica gel, eluent a solvent mixture of 2% ethyl acetate and 98% hexane). The solvent was evaporated under vacuum, taking care that the temperature of the water bath of the rotary evaporator did not exceed 35 °C to avoid loss of product due to low boiling point. Finally 11.82 g (49% yield) of the target product chloromethyl benzoate was obtained as a clear oil. The mass spectrum (electrospray positive ion mode, ES+) showed m/e 171 (M+H).