74-88-4

116419-94-4

General procedure for the synthesis of methyl 4-methyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)benzoate from iodomethane: Potassium hydroxide (KOH, 84 mg, 1.5 mmol) was dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO, 5 mL) and allowed to stand for 30 min at 25 °C. Subsequently, a solution of 4-methyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)benzoic acid (306 mg, 1.5 mmol) in DMSO (5 mL) was added to the above slurry and the resulting mixture was stirred for 15 min. Next, iodomethane (426 mg, 3 mmol) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred at 25 °C for 2 hours. After completion of the reaction, the reaction was quenched with water. The reaction mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and the organic layer was washed with saturated sodium chloride (NaCl) solution and dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate (Na2SO4). The organic solvent was removed by concentration under reduced pressure to give methyl 4-methyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)benzoate as an oil (327 mg, 100% yield). Nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy (1H NMR) data: δ 8.10 (m, 2H), 7.60 (s, 1H), 3.86 (s, 3H), 2.45 (s, 3H); mass spectrum (m/z): 218.