2-Furylacetic acid has been synthesized from furfural by a series of reactions which does not involve the use of mineral acids. It has been shown that an acid prepared by the nitrile synthesis from a-furfuryl chloride, and described as 2-furylacetic acid, is actually the isomeric 5-methyl-2-furoic acid. It appears probable that rearrange- ment of the a-furfuryl group into the 5-methylfuryl group occurred in the reaction of a-furfuryl chloride with aqueous sodium ...
