Sodium acetate (0.4 mol) was dissolved in methanol (200 mL). Methyl-2-bromopropionate (40 mmol) was added and the resulting mixture was heated at reflux for 10 min. The heated mixture was cooled to room temperature (25° C.), and (E)-5-((2,4,6-trimethoxystyrylsulfonyl)methyl)-2-methoxybenzenamine (0.1 mol) was added. The resulting mixture was heated at reflux for 1 h. The hot reaction mixture was allowed to cool to room temperature (25° C.), and then poured into ice water (500 mL). A solid precipitate formed. The precipitate was separated by filtration and recrystallized from ethanol to provide the desired methyl (E)-2-(5-((2,4,6-trimethoxystyrylsulfonyl)methyl)-2-methoxy-phenylamino)propanoate.
