A facile synthesis of phenylacetic acids via Willgerodt-Kindler reaction under PTC condition

Abstract

Phenylacetic acids are efficiently synthesized from acetophenones via thiomorpholides under Phase Transfer Catalytic (PTC) condition. The reaction proceeds efficiently by using triethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (TEBA) as PTC and the reaction time decreased dramatically upto 1/5th (24-5) to afford pure products in good to excellent yield.