For my small research, the compounds that I want to synthesize are
alkyl gallates (ethyl gallate, butyl gallate, and hexyl gallate). The overall reaction:
Gallic Acid + Alcohols + (THF, DCC, DMAP, 0 Celsius) ---> Alkyl Gallates + DCU
However, from reading some literature, it's mentioned that using DCC in
Steglich esterification has drawbacks; it produces a by-product (DCU) and can prove difficult to remove remaining trace amounts.
My question:- Are there any effective methods to remove the DCC by-product and the remaining trace amounts? If there are, could you tell me in detail about the methods?
- Is THF a suitable solvent for this reaction, or are there other solvents that might be more appropriate?
- What do you think about the reaction temperature, should I just do it at Room Temperature or keep it at 0 celcius
Important Note:I'm aware that I could use DIC or EDC to prevent this problem, but I don't have DIC or EDC, and I'm trying to avoid purchasing them because they're pretty expensive in my country.[/list]