Transesterification of Methyl 2-Nitroacetate to Superior Esters

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/ejoc.202000050

Methyl 2-nitroacetate and methyl acetoacetate have in common the presence of an electron-withdrawing substituent geminal to the methyl ester function but the well-known ease of thermal transesterification of methyl acetoacetate has not been found in methyl 2-nitroacetate. The latter gives uncatalysed thermal transesterification only in low yield and at a temperature higher than that of methyl acetoacetate. Comparative experiments provided further insight into the reactions; protic and Lewis acid catalysts promoted the smooth exchange of the alkanoyl groups, observing first the transesterification of methyl 2-nitroacetate with ethanol, already proved difficult to proceed. Dibutyltin(IV)oxide (DBTO) catalyst offered the spur to set up a convenient synthetic methodology from methyl 2-nitroacetate, encompassing higher molecular weight and functionalised alcohols: aliphatic, unsaturated and oxidation sensitive species were suited to react, delivering the corresponding 2-nitroacetate esters in good yields in most cases.