Water (173 ml) and sodium carbonate (33.24 g, 310 mmol) were added to a stirred ethereal solution (123 ml) of 6-amino-2-bromo-4-chloro-phenol (17.45 g, 78.4 mmol). After 15 minutes 3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxy-phenyl acetyl chloride (47.60 g, 93.1%, 156.8 mmol) (prepared with thionyl chloride from the corresponding acid), was added at −5E to 0EC and stirring continued for a further 1.5 hours without cooling. The aqueous phase was adjusted to pH 8 and the layers separated. The organics were washed with 1 N HCl (100 ml) and saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution (100 ml), dried (Na2SO4) and evaporated into give 58.1 g (103.6%) of the title compound which was suitable for the next step.
