THE PREPARATION OF P-BROMOPHENACYL ESTERS AND THE CHARACTERIZATION OF P-BROMOPHENACYL FORMATE

Abstract

The compound, m.p. 140 °C., widely used as a derivative for the identification of formic acid was found to be p-bromophenacyl alcohol and not p-bromophenacyl formate. p-Bromophenacyl alcohol was also the product from an attempt to prepare p-bromophenacyl pyruvate.p-Bromophenacyl formate, m.p. 92 °C., was prepared in 80% yield by refluxing equivalent amounts of the reactants in 66% alcohol for 30 min. This ester is readily hydrolyzed under the conditions used for its preparation and the hydrolysis appears to be catalyzed by salts of carboxylic acids. The melting point of p-bromophenacyl alcohol depended on the rate of heating, varying from 137 °C. with slow heating to 142 °C. with the rapid heating obtained on a melting point bar.