Formaldehyde → (6-propyl-1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)methyl acetate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Dihydrosafrole (20 g), acetic acid (100 g) and water (10 g) were added to a mixture of acetic acid (250 ml), hexane (200 ml), acetic anhydride (40 g) and paraformaldehyde (40 g) to which 1.7 g of 40% sulphuric acid had been added. The reaction mixture was held at 60° C. for 5 hours and was then cooled to 20° C. and excess paraformaldehyde removed by filtration. Saturated brine (200 ml) was then added followed by ether (100 ml). The mixture was ether extracted (3 times) and combined extracts washed with brine (3 times). Following removal of solvent under reduced pressure the material was distilled under vacuum to give 4,5-methylenedioxy-2-propylbenzyl acetate (8) as a colourless oil (b.pt 154°-165° C. at 2.0 mm Hg) . . . Yield 59%.

Provenance & Evidence