3,5-Dimethoxytoluene → 1,3-Dimethoxy-5-methyl-2-(4-phenylbutyl)benzene

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A solution of nBuLi in hexanes (1.7 M, 14 mL, 24 mmol) was added over 15 min to a solution of 3,5-dimethoxytoluene (2.93 mL, 20 mmol) in THF (20 mL) at 0° C. The reaction mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 1 h then at room temperature for 3 h. The reaction was cooled to 0° C. and a solution of the 4-phenylbutylbromide (4.13 mL, 1.2 mmol) in toluene (15 mL) was added over 5 min. The reaction mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature and heated to 80° C. for 3-4 h. The reaction was quenched slowly with water and partitioned over Et2O (100 mL) and water (100 mL). The phases were separated and the aqueous phase was extracted with Et2O (3×100 mL). The pooled organics were washed with brine (120 mL), dried over Na2SO4, and concentrated under vacuum and the crude product was purified by flash chromatography (silica-gel, petroleum ether/EtOAc 200:1) to afford the product as a clear oil (4.6 g, 81%). 1H NMR (CDCl3): δ 1.53-1.67 (m, 4H), 2.31 (s, 3H), 2.60-2.64 (m, 4H), 3.76 (s, 6H), 6.34 (s, 2H), 7.13-7.22 (m, 5H).

Provenance & Evidence