Potassium Carbonate → Methyl alpha-(2-n-propyl-4-cyanophenoxy)-3,4-methylenedioxyphenylacetate

To a stirred solution of 4.50 g (27.95 mmol) of the product of Step B in 30 mL of acetone was added 4.64 g (33.54 mmol) of powdered potassium carbonate and the reaction mixture was stirred for 10 minutes. Methyl α-bromo-3,4-methylenedioxyphenylacetate (8.01 g; 29.35 mmol) was then added and the reaction mixture refluxed overnight. The reaction mixture was cooled, filtered, and the filtrate evaporated in vacuo, dried in a vacuum to afford 10.30 g (9.87 g theoretical) of the title compound which was used without purification in the next step.