Hydroquinone → 4-Isopropoxyphenol

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of hydroquinone (3.37 g, 30.0 mmol, 1.00 eq.) and 2-iodopropane (2 mL, 19.8 mmol, 0.66 eq.) in EtOH (12 mL), a solution of KOH (1.68 g, 30.0 mmol, 1.00 eq.) in water (6 mL) was added. The dark brown solution was refluxed for 18 hours. The solvent was removed in vacuo and the remaining aq. phase was acidified with 2M aq. HCl soln. and extracted with AcOEt (3×15 mL). The comb. org. layers were washed with sat. aq. NaCl soln., dried over MgSO4, filtered, and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified by flashmaster (column: 340 g, flow: 90 mL/min, 100 fractions of 45 mL, Heptane to Heptane+35% AcOEt) to yield 4-isopropoxy-phenol as an orange oil.

Provenance & Evidence