Methylhydroquinone → Ethyl (4-hydroxy-3-methylphenoxy)acetate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 2-methylbenzene-1,4-diol (5 g, 40.2 mmol), ethyl 2-bromoacetate (1.1 eq.), and potassium carbonate (2 eq.) in acetonitrile (50 mL) was heated at 80° C. for 18 hours. The reaction was cooled to room temperature, and the acetonitrile was removed in vacuo. Water was added and the crude residue was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with brine, dried over sodium sulfate, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified by silica gel chromatography (0-100% EtOAc in hexanes) to provide ethyl 2-(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenoxy)acetate (682) as a pink solid.

Provenance & Evidence