Water → Ethyl 3-(2-methoxyphenyl)-3-(2-methoxymethoxy-3-methylphenyl)propenoate

2-Methoxymethoxy-3-methyl-2'-methoxybenzophenone (17.5 g) was combined with the sodium salt of triethyl phosphonoacetate (2.2 equivalents) in 250 ml of dimethoxyethane and the mixture heated at reflux with stirring for 2 days. Water and ether were added and the organic phase was separated, extracted with water, dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered, and concentrated by evaporation under reduced pressure to obtain an oil. This was purified by preparative liquid chromatography, eluting with a 90:10 mixture of hexane and acetone, to obtain ethyl 3-(2-methoxyphenyl)-3-(2-methoxymethoxy-3-methylphenyl)propenoate as an intermediate consisting of a mixture of isomers. The assigned structure was consistent with the proton NMR spectrum. This was dissolved in 50 ml of tetrahydrofuran and treated with 61 ml of a solution of 1M lithium aluminum hydride in tetrahydrofuran at ambient temperature with stirring. The mixture was heated at reflux with stirring for 4 hours. It was then allowed to cool, was quenched with 10 percent sulfuric acid, and was diluted with ether. The organic phase was separated, extracted with water, dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered, and concentrated by evaporation under reduced pressure to obtain a crude product. This was purified by preparative liquid chromatography, eluting with a 95:5 mixture of hexane and acetone, to obtain 6.01 g of the title compound as a gum. The assigned structure was consistent with the proton NMR spectrum.