Ethyl 4-(phenylmethyl)-2-morpholinecarboxylate

4-Benzyl-morpholihe-2-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (1); A stirred solution of 4-benzyl-morpholine-2-carbonitrile (113.0 g, 0.56 mol) in ethanol (1030 mL) is treated with concentrated sulphuric acid (165 mL) added in portions. (exothermic, internal temperature rises from ambient to 65 °C). The mixture is then warmed under reflux for 66hrs. The solution is cooled and then concentrated in vacuo to half volume, basified with aqueous potassium carbonate (beware frothing) and the product extracted into diethyl ether. The organic phase is dried over magnesium sulphate, filtered and evaporated to dryness in vacuo to yield an oil. This material is evacuated further under high vacuum. Yield = 121. 3g (87percent).Alternatively, compound 1 may be synthesised as follows: A 100 L reactor attached to a scrubber filled with IN NaOH (60 L) is charged under nitrogen atmosphere with 4-benzyl-morpholine-2-carbonitrile (1867 g, 9.23 mol) and ethanol (20 L). At Tmass = 15-20°C, concentrated sulfuric acid (2.76 L, 50 mol) is added to the solution over 20 min (highly exothermic). The solution is heated to reflux for 2.5 days. Then, 10 L of solvent is distilled off under vacuum and the reaction mixture is cooled to Tmass = 20-25°C. Water (40 L) is added over 25 min followed by Na2C03 solution (1/2 saturated, 18 L) and NaHC03 (1/2 saturated, 7 L) to reach a pH-7. Ethyl acetate is added (15 L) and the phases are mixed for 15 min. The organic phase is separated and the aqueous phase is extracted with ethyl acetate (2x10 L). The combined organic layers are evaporated to dryness under vacuum to give 1 as a yellow to brown oil (1992g, 87percent)A stirred solution of 4-benzyl-morpholine-2-carbonitrile (113. 0g, 0.56mole) in ethanol (1030ml) is treated with concentrated sulphuric acid (165ml) added in portions. (exothermic, internal temperature rises from ambient to 65 °C). The mixture is then warmed under reflux for 66hrs. The solution is cooled and then concentrated in vacuo to half volume, basified with aqueous potassium carbonate (beware frothing) and the product extracted into diethyl ether. The organic phase is dried over magnesium sulphate, filtered and evaporated to dryness in vacuo to yield an oil. This material is evacuated further under high vacuum. Yield = 121.3g (87percent).

Molecular Weight:249.30
XLogP3:1.7
Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count:4
Rotatable Bond Count:5
Exact Mass:249.13649347
Monoisotopic Mass:249.13649347
Topological Polar Surface Area:38.8
Heavy Atom Count:18
Complexity:264
Undefined Atom Stereocenter Count:1
Covalently-Bonded Unit Count:1
Compound Is Canonicalized:Yes