Synthesis of benzoic acid from Grignard reagent

Objective

Students will familiarized with the strict anhydrous conditions involved in the use of Grignard reagents, and in this case for obtaining benzoic acid by the carbonation reaction of a Grignard reagents.

Formation of Grignard reagent- Synthesis of benzoic acid from Grignard reagent
Formation of Grignard reagent
Synthesis of benzoic acid from Grignard reagent
Synthesis of benzoic acid from Grignard reagent

Background

One of the most popular methods of forming C-C bonds in organic synthesis is through the use of Grignard reagents (Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 1912). The formation of these organometallic compounds involves the reaction of an alkyl, vinyl or aryl halide with magnesium and involves a change in the electronic nature of the carbon atom, which changes from electrophile in the halide to strongly nucleophile in the organomagnesium compounds.

R-X + Mg   →   R-MgX

X = Cl, Br, I

Grignard compounds are highly reactive, they react with water, oxygen, CO2, etc. Therefore, these compounds must be prepared under anhydrous conditions using an inert atmosphere. They have a strongly nucleophilic (and basic) character and produce additions to carbonyl groups, with the formation of a new C-C bond, giving alcohols whose nature depends on the type of carbonyl starting compound used.

A Grignard reagent is considered to be a carbon or carbanion bond (the magnesium salt of an acidic hydrocarbon). However, it is more accurate to consider Grignard reagents as having a highly polar covalent C-Mg bond, rather than an ionic bond between C and  MgX.

In this experiment, we will proceed to synthesize benzoic acid from bromobenzene by converting the latter into a Grignard reagent (Ph-MgX). The Grignard reagent is then reacted with gaseous carbon dioxide (CO2) to form benzoic acid.

The Grignard synthesis of a carboxylic acid (R-COOH) is achieved by a carbonization step by bubbling carbon dioxide, gaseous CO2, into a solution in THF or diethyl ether of the reagent. In our case, ground dry ice (solid CO2) is used over the Grignard reagent. The advantage of using dry ice is that it acts not only as a reagent but also as a cooling agent.

The reaction proceeds through the formation of an intermediate carboxylate salt, which is then protonated to yield benzoic acid.

In conclusion, the synthesis of benzoic acid from a Grignard reagent is a useful method for the preparation of carboxylic acids. The reaction is also highly selective, with no other major products formed and the yield of the reaction was 80%, which is a good yield for this type of reaction.

Experimental procedure

A) Preparation of Grignard reagent (phenylmagnesium bromide)

In order to carry out this reaction successfully, it is necessary that both the reagents and the material used are completely dry (use an oven for the material if necessary) and work under inert atmosphere conditions.

Synthesis of benzoic acid from Grignard reagent - Preparation of Grignard reagent (phenylmagnesium bromide)
Preparation of Grignard reagent (phenylmagnesium bromide)

 

In a 250 ml round bottom flask equipped with a reflux condenser, and an addition funnel, under inert argon atmosphere, 2.4 g of magnesium Mg (in the form of chips or filings) are placed. Subsequently, 30 ml of diethyl ether (anhydrous) are added (THF can also be used).

A small amount of activating agent (usually dibromoethane or iodine) is added and once the magnesium surface is activated (traces of iodine are added to start the reaction at low temperatures without having to resort to an initial heating, since the reaction is then exothermic), slowly add 10 ml of anhydrous bromobenzene.

If the reaction is not started immediately, it is heated in a water bath and removed when the solution begins to boil (discoloration of the iodine and appearance of turbidity is observed).

Since the reaction is exothermic, gentle boiling is allowed to proceed for 30-40 min. At this point, the heating is cut off to control the reaction (because it is exothermic) until the formation of phenylmagnesium bromide.

B) Grignard reagent carbonation

In a beaker of 250 ml, 15.14 g dry crushed ice (solid CO2) is placed. The phenylmagnesium bromide solution prepared in the previous step is poured slowly over it, using magnetic agitation.

Synthesis of benzoic acid from Grignard reagent - Grignard reagent carbonation
Grignard reagent carbonation

A pasty mass is obtained, which is continued stirring until all the solid CO2 has sublimated.
Then, 50 ml of hot water are added, and it is acidified with HCl (dil.), for this way to be able to dissolve the phenylmagnesium salt and to obtain by precipitation the benzoic acid. It is cooled with an ice bath and filtered under vacuum. The benzoic acid thus obtained can be recrystallized from water.

Physico-chemical properties

This table collects data for the molecular weight (Mw), melting point (M.p.) boiling point (B.p.) and density of the reactives and compounds used in this laboratory experiment.

Name Mw (g/mol) M.p. (ºC) B.p. (ºC) Density (g/ml)
Benzoic acid 122.12 125 249 1.08
Argon 39.95 -189.2 -185.7 -
Bromobenzene 157.01 -31 156 -
CO2 44.01 -78.5 - -
Diethyl ether 74.12 -116 34.6 0.71
HCl 36.46 -30 >100 1.200
Iodine I2 253.81 113 184 4.930
Magnesium 24.31 648 1,090 1.740
Phenylmagnesium bromide 181.31 - - -
Tetrahydrofuran 72.11 -108.0 65-67 0.89

GHS pictograms

Hazard pictograms form part of the international Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and are collected in the followinf Table for the chemical compounds used in this experiment.

Name GHS
Benzoic acid ghs05  Danger Warning Corrosive cat. 1 pictogram ghs07  Warning Toxic cat. 4 Irritant cat. 2 or 3 Lower systemic health hazards pictogram
Argon Non-hazardous
Bromobenzene ghs02  Danger Warning Flammable pictogram ghs07  Warning Toxic cat. 4 Irritant cat. 2 or 3 Lower systemic health hazards pictogram ghs05  Danger Warning Corrosive cat. 1 pictogram
CO2 ghs04  Warning Compressed gas pictogram
Diethyl ether ghs02  Danger Warning Flammable pictogram ghs07  Warning Toxic cat. 4 Irritant cat. 2 or 3 Lower systemic health hazards pictogram
HCl ghs05  Danger Warning Corrosive cat. 1 pictogram ghs07  Warning Toxic cat. 4 Irritant cat. 2 or 3 Lower systemic health hazards pictogram
Iodine I2 ghs07  Warning Toxic cat. 4 Irritant cat. 2 or 3 Lower systemic health hazards pictogram ghs09  Warning (for cat. 1) (for cat. 2 no signal word) Environmental hazard pictogram
Magnesium ghs02  Danger Warning Flammable pictogram
Phenylmagnesium bromide ghs02  Danger Warning Flammable pictogram ghs05  Danger Warning Corrosive cat. 1 pictogram ghs07  Warning Toxic cat. 4 Irritant cat. 2 or 3 Lower systemic health hazards pictogram
Tetrahydrofuran ghs02  Danger Warning Flammable pictogram ghs07  Warning Toxic cat. 4 Irritant cat. 2 or 3 Lower systemic health hazards pictogram

International Chemical Identifier

The IUPAC InChI key identifiers for the main compounds used in this experiment are provided to facilitate the nomenclature and formulation of chemical compounds and the search for information on the Internet for these compounds.

Benzoic acid WPYMKLBDIGXBTP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Argon XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Bromobenzene QARVLSVVCXYDNA-UHFFFAOYSA-N
CO2 CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Diethyl ether RTZKZFJDLAIYFH-UHFFFAOYSA-N
HCl VEXZGXHMUGYJMC-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Iodine I2 PNDPGZBMCMUPRI-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Magnesium FYYHWMGAXLPEAU-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Phenylmagnesium bromide NIXOIRLDFIPNLJ-UHFFFAOYSA-M
Tetrahydrofuran WYURNTSHIVDZCO-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Video on the synthesis of benzoic acid from Grignard reagent

References

Return to the Organic Synthesis Experiments.

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