To a stirred mixture of methyl 3-(2-(2-(2-(tosyloxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)propanoate (263a) (1.504 g, 3.85 mmol) and (5-hydroxy-1,3-phenylene)dimethanol (21) (0.54 g, 3.50 mmol) in anhydrous DMF (7.8 ml) was added potassium carbonate (0.726 g, 5.25 mmol). The reaction was stirred at room temperature for 18 hours at 75° C. The mixture was allowed to cool to room temperature, quenched with water, and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic extracts were washed with brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated. Purification by silica gel chromatography (5% MeOH/CH2Cl2) yielded methyl 3-(2-(2-(2-(3,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)phenoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)propanoate (263b)(340 mg, 26%). 1H NMR (400 Hz, CDCl3): δ 6.83 (s, 1H), 6.75 (s, 2H), 4.52 (s, 4H), 4.05 (t, J=4.8 Hz, 2H), 3.79 (t, J=4.8 Hz, 2H), 3.70 (t, J=6.4 Hz, 2H), 3.65 (s, 3H), 3.70-3.56 (m, 8H), 3.26 (s, 2H), 2.55 (t, J=6.4 Hz, 2H); 13C NMR (400 Hz, CDCl3): δ 172.31, 159.1, 143.0, 117.7, 112.1, 70.8, 70.7, 70.5, 70.4, 69.8, 67.5, 66.6, 64.7, 51.8, 34.9; MS (m/z), found 395.2 (M+Na)+.
