The document describes a two-step synthesis of naphthalen-2-yl benzoate. First, benzonitrile was hydrolyzed using sulfuric acid to produce benzoic acid. This was confirmed using TLC, melting point, and IR spectroscopy. Second, benzoic acid was esterified with 2-naphthol using tosyl chloride and N-methylimidazole as a catalyst to produce the target compound naphthalen-2-yl benzoate. The product was confirmed using TLC, melting point, IR, and NMR spectroscopy. The overall synthesis involved a hydrolysis followed by an esterification to convert the starting nitrile to the final est

1. 1
Chris Myers
CHM 352
Kek project: Hydrolysis of benzonitrile and esterification of benzoic acid
Abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to synthesize naphthalen-2-yl benzoate
(ester) from benzonitrile (nitrile) using a two-step procedure. Acid hydrolysis of
the benzonitrile was carried out by using H2SO4 to produce benzoic acid. After
confirmation by TLC, melting point, and IR benzoic acid was then synthesized into
naphthalen-2-yl benzoate by an esterification reaction with 2-naphthol. TLC,
melting point, IR, and NMR confirmed the final product’s identity.
Introduction
The purpose of this experiment was to synthesize naphthalen-2-yl benzoate
from a given amount of benzonitrile. After reviewing literature it was suggested
that there were several ways to synthesize the product from the specific starting
material. In this experiment a two-step procedure was chosen. The first step of
synthesis involved hydrolysis of the benzonitrile to produce benzoic acid. The
second step of the procedure involved esterification of the benzoic acid with 2-
naphthol to synthesize the final product napthalen-2-yl benzoate (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Reaction scheme

2. 2
The hydrolysis of benzonitrile can occur either under acidic or alkaline
conditions to result in the formation of benzoic acid. When a nitrile is hydrolyzed
the compound is basically reacting with water in a two-step process. During this
process the reaction initially produces an amide. The amide is then hydrolyzed to
ultimately produce a carboxylic acid, in this case benzoic acid. Since the reaction
between water and nitriles is extremely slow, heat is needed along with a catalyst.
As stated earlier this reaction can occur with several different catalysts. Basic
catalysts such as NaOH, or acidic catalysts like HCl1 or H2SO4 are all frequently used
in hydrolysis reactions. In this experiment the acid H2SO4 was the catalyst chosen
for the reaction. H2SO4 was chosen over HCl and NaOH due to a procedure in which
p-nitrophenylacetic acid is produced from p-nitrobenzyl cyanide. This procedure
turned a nitrile into a carboxylic acid under mild conditions with a theoretical yield
higher than any procedure using HCl or NaOH. It was expected that by following
this procedure with benzonitrile and H2SO4, a similar yield of benzoic acid would be
produced2.
The second step of napthalen-2-yl benzoate synthesis called for the
esterification of benzoic acid with 2-naphthol. Esterification, also, is not limited by
one type of catalyst and can make use of several reagents such as H2SO4, HCl,
Me2NSO2Cl with N,N-dimethylamine3, DCC/DMAP4, and TsCl with N-
methylimidazole5 to react with a carboxylic acid and alcohol. Initially Me2NSO2Cl
with N,N-dimethylamine was chosen for synthesis as this was used for an
esterification procedure between 3-phenylpropanoic acid and 1-octanol at
temperatures slightly above room temperature ultimately producing an ester with

3. 3
percent yields between 93-973. However, due to chemicals not being ordered, the
procedure switched last minute to using TsCl with N-methylimidazole as the
catalyst. This was chosen over the other reagents due to knowledge that N-
methylimidazole forms an extremely reactive ammonium intermediate by removing
the tosylate ester previously formed between the TsCl and the benzoic acid5. With
the addition of an alcohol (2-naphthol) it was predicted that the product
naphthalene-2-yl benzoate would form.
Results and Discussion
The first part of the experiment began by hydrolyzing the benzonitrile with
H2SO4, H2O, and heat to synthesize the intermediate product benzoic acid. In this
reaction the lone pair of the nitrogen was expected to react with and become
protonated by an H+ from the H2SO4. Next water should attack the carbon
connected directly to the nitrogen as a pi bond between the two gives its electrons
to the nitrogen. A proton transfer was expected and a lone pair on the oxygen forms
a pi bond to the carbon as the pi bond between the nitrogen and carbon gives its
electrons to the nitrogen. Water is expected to attack the non-benzene ring carbon a
second time. Another proton transfer is expected to take place (from the H2O)
making the leaving group NH3+. Oxygen is then expected to use a lone pair to create
a pi bond to the carbon, kicking out the NH3+. Lastly the H on the pi bonded OH+ is
expected to donate its electrons to the oxygen and be removed to form benzoic acid
(Figure2).

4. 4
In order to make the benzonitrile the limiting reagent high molar
concentrations of H2SO4 were used. It was suggested that such a high concentration
would possibly restrict the amount of water accessible for hydrolysis, ultimately
causing less benzoic acid formation. Therefore, water was added to the mixture
with a molar concentration four times higher than that of H2SO4 in order for
conditions to be favorable for hydrolysis and collisions with water to occur.
Confirmation of the benzoic acid product was based mainly off of three
pieces of evidence: TLC, melting point, and IR. When examining the Rf values of the
TLC containing the standard benzoic acid (0.125) to the experimental (0.187) they
matched much more closely than to that of the experimental and standard
benzonitrile (0.750). In the second evaluation of the product, the experimental
melting point (118°-119° C) also matched closely to the benzoic acid’s literature
value melting point (122° C). The IR spectrum also showed significant evidence for
the synthesis of the desired product as there was a very broad peak from ~3500 cm-
Figure 2. Hydrolysis of benzonitrile (mechanism)

5. 5
1 to ~2500 cm-1 indicating a presence of a carboxylic acid OH group. A strong peak
at 1677.71 cm-1 was also observed, indicating the presence of a carbonyl C=O group
(IR attached). Lastly the product’s appearance was noted as a white/colorless
crystalline solid. This fell into the expectations of the known appearance of benzoic
acid. When combined, these pieces of evidence strongly suggest that the
benzonitrile had successfully been converted to benzoic acid.
The second part of the experiment involved the esterification of the benzoic
acid and the 2-naphthol to produce the final product naphthalene-2-yl benzoate. In
this reaction the catalyst amounts were based off of the molar equivalent of benzoic
acid (1 molar equivalent) produced in the first step. In respect to this amount the
TsCl had a molar equivalent of 1.2 and the N-methylimidazole had a molar
equivalent of 3. What was expected in this reaction was to form a tosylate as a lone
pair on the benzoic acid’s OH to attacks the sulfur on the TsCl, ultimately kicking out
the Cl-. Next the unmethylated nitrogen on the N-methylimidazole was expected to
form a tetrahedral intermediate by attacking the carbonyl carbon, as electrons from
the pi bond between the carbon and oxygen go to the oxygen. As a lone pair from
this oxygen was donated to form the pi bond again to the carbonyl carbon, it was
expected for the leaving group –OTs to be kicked out. As 2-naphthol was added to
the reaction it was expected for the a lone pair on the alcohol’s OH to attack the
carbonyl carbon, as electrons from the pi bond between the carbon and oxygen once
again go to the oxygen. A proton transfer was then expected to occur subsequently
kicking out the N-methylimidazole as a lone pair on the oxygen formed a pi bond to

6. 6
the carbon. This ultimately produces the desired final product of naphthalene-2-yl
benzoate (Figure 3).
Confirmation of the final product as naphthalene-2-yl benzoate was based off
of four pieces of evidence: TLC, melting point, IR and NMR. When examining the Rf
values of the TLC containing the naphthalene-2-yl benzoate (0.29) to the
experimental (0.30) they matched closely. In the second evaluation of the product,
obtaining a melting point was somewhat difficult as different melting point
instruments gave melting points that differed by as much as 15° C. However, after
finding one instrument that gave multiple measurements at the same temperature it
was found that the experimental product’s melting point (100°-101° C) matched
closely to the naphthalene-2-yl benzoate’s literature value melting point (105° C).
The IR spectrum also showed significant evidence for the successful synthesis of the
final product as the broad peak from ~3500 cm-1 to ~2500 cm-1, indicative of a
carboxylic acid, disappeared along with the 1677 cm-1. The spectrum also showed
Figure 3. Esterification of benzoic acid (mechanism)

7. 7
the appearance of a peak at 1730.11 cm-1 indicating the presence of an ester bond
(IR attached). When examining the 1H NMR spectrum no peaks were observed in
the 10-13 ppm range indicating presence of benzoic acid. Acetonitrile and 2-
naphthol peaks were also absent from the spectrum confidently suggesting that the
product formed was indeed a relatively pure naphthalene-2-yl benzoate (NMR
attached).
Experimental
Benzoic Acid: Benzonitrile (5.1157 g, 0.0419 mol), H2SO4 (20.17 mL, 0.365 mol), DI
water (26.00 mL, 1.46 mol) and a boiling chip were all added to a round bottom
flask and refluxed for 20 minutes. The reddish/brown mixture was then diluted
with 45.00 mL of DI water and cooled to 0° C. The solution was then suction filtered
and washed several times with ice water to recover solid product (5.21 g, 0.043 mol,
102.6% yield). Rf = 0.188 (chloroform).
IR 3072 2827 2554 1678 1601 1583 1497 1453 1420 1324 1288 1180 1128 1101
1073 1027 1000 931 805 683 666 cm-1
Naphthalen-2-yl benzoate: TsCl (9.59 g, 0.0503 mol) in CH3CN (70 mL) and a stir
bar were added to a benzoic acid solution (5.21 g, 0.043 mol) and N-
methylimidazole (10.0 mL, 0.1257 mol) in CH3CN (20 mL). This solution was then
cooled in an ice bath and stirred for 30 minutes. Dissolved in 20ml of CH3CN 2-
naphthol (6.9 g, .048 mol) was then added chilled mixture and stirred for 2 hours.
After mixing the CH3CN was removed by the rotary evaporator and the solid was
dissolved in 150 mL of a 1:1 mixture of water and 5% NaOH solution. This solution
was then mixed with a 1:1 volume amount of ether to extract the ester. This

8. 8
extraction was done three times with the total volume of ether used being 450 mL.
Next the organic phase was then washed with 500 mL of brine. To absorb all of the
water from the solution Na2SO4 was added to the mixture until clumps stopped
forming and powder Na2SO4 freely moved around the solution. The solution was
decanted into a round bottom and then rotary evaporated to remove the ether. This
left a very light pink/brown powdery solid behind (9.401 g, 0.038 mol, 90.7% yield).
Many tests were done to confirm product, thus mass will be lighter. Also the scale
used throughout entire experiment measures about 85% of actual mass. Rf = 0.188
(chloroform).
IR 1730 1627 1597 1510 1451 1377 1354 1317 1272 1264 1238 1206 1176 1154
1136 1122 1078 1062 1024 1002 958 902 893 878 818 801 746 737 684 673 662
cm-1
1H NMR (resolution poor) 8.249 8.179 7.984 7.868 7.770 7.669 7.567
References
1Organic Syntheses; Wiley & Sons: New York, 1941; Collect. Vol. No. I, 406
2Organic Syntheses; Wiley & Sons: New York, 1941; Collect. Vol. No. I, 36
3Wakasugi, K.; Nakamura, A.; Tanabe, Y. N,N-dimethylamines; a novel and efficient
agent for esterification, amidation between carboxylic acids, and
equimolar amounts of alcohols and amines. Tetrahedron Letters, 2001, 42,
7427-7430.
4Wakasugi, K.; Nakamura, A.; Iida, A.; Nishii, Y.; Nakatani, N.; Fukushima, S.; Tanabe,
Y. Novel and efficient method for esterification, amidation between
carboxylic acids and equimolar amounts of alcohols, and amines utilizing

9. 9
Me2NSO2Cl and N,N-dimethylamines; its application to the synthesis of
coumaperine,a natural chemopreventive dieneamide. Tetrahedron Letters,
2003, 43, 5337-5345.
5Wakasugi, K.; Nakamura, A.; Iida, A.; Nishii, Y.; Tanabe, Y. Simple, mild, and
practical esterification, thioesterification, and amide formation utilizing p-
toluenesulfonyl chloride and N-methylimidazole. Adv. Synth. Catal. 2003,
345, 1209-1214