Acetic Acid → 4-Propyl-1,2-benzenediol

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 15.0 g (83 mM) of 4-propylveratrole, 53.0 g (882 mM) of acetic acid and 159.4 g (926 mM) of 47% hydrobromic acid was heated under reflux for 2 hours with stirring. After cooling to the room temperature, the reaction mixture was added with 140 ml of water and extracted three times with each 150 ml of ether. The extracted ether solution was successively washed with 150 ml of water, 150 g of 5% aqueous sodium thiosulfate solution and then twice with each 150 ml of water. The resulting solution was dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate, distilled off ether and vacuum distilled to obtain 10.5 g (69 mM) of 4-propylcatechol as a light yellow liquid having a boiling point of 119° C/3 mmHg.

Provenance & Evidence