Synlett 2004(9): 1604-1606  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-829058
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Environmentally Friendly Esterification of Carboxylic Acids with Triethyl Orthoacetate in Ionic Liquid

Tomonori Yoshinoa, Hideo Togo*a,b
a Graduate School of Science and Technology, Chiba University, Yayoi-cho 1-33, Inage-ku 263-8522, Chiba, Japan
b Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiba University, Yayoi-cho 1-33, Inage-ku 263-8522, Chiba, Japan
e-Mail: togo@faculty.chiba-u.jp;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 19 March 2004
Publication Date:
29 June 2004 (online)

Abstract

An operationally simple, inexpensive, efficient, and ­environmentally friendly esterification of carboxylic acids with triethyl orthoacetate under neutral conditions in a typical room ­temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, was carried out to provide the corresponding ethyl esters in high yields.

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Most ethyl esters were identified by comparison with authentic commercially available materials, or with spectroscopic and microanalytical data.