Method for preparing 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid

摘要

A novel process for preparing 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid which is useful as an intermediate for pharmaceutical is provided. A method for preparing 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid comprising the steps of first reacting benzyl phenyl ether with formaldehyde and hydrogen chloride to form 4-benzyloxybenzyl chloride, second reacting the resultant 4-benzyloxybenzyl chloride with an alkali metal cyanide in at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of water and an organic solvent to form 4-benzyloxyphenylacetonitrile, and hydrolyzing the resultant 4-benzyloxyphenylacetonitrile in the presence of an acid catalyst.