Epichlorohydrin → 2-Methyl-1-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)-4-(2-(cyclopropylmethoxy)ethoxy)benzene

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Reaction Steps

The epoxide starting material is obtained from reaction of 4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl benzoate with benzyl bromide to give 4-benzyloxy-3-methylphenyl benzoate (M.P. 120°-121° from methanol/ether), followed by de-esterification with 2M NaOH solution to give 4-benzyloxy-3-methylphenol (M.P. 69°-70° from ether/hexane) and reaction with 2-bromoethanol (light brown oil) to form an alcohol which is reacted with cyclopropylmethyl bromide in tetrahydrofuran. Debenzylation of the cyclopropylmethoxyethoxy derivative (unpurified) with 10% Pd on activated charcoal forms 4-(2-(cyclopropylmethoxy)ethoxy)-2-methylphenol which is then reacted with epichlorhydrin in the presence of a catalytic amount of piperidine to give 2-methyl-1-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)-4-(2-(cyclopropylmethoxy)ethoxy)benzene (light brown oil after chromatography on silica gel with toluene/ethyl-acetate (8:2)).

Provenance & Evidence