Hydrochloric Acid → Carbonic acid, 2-methoxy-4-methylphenyl methyl ester

Participants

Reaction Steps

2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (250 mmol) was dissolved in dry dichoromethane (500 ml) with pyridine (392 mmol) and DMAP (N,N-dimethyl-4-aminopyridine, 4.26 mmol). Methyl chloroformate (317 mmol) was added slowly to this solution and the reaction was stirred at room temperature for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was then poured onto a 2M HCl solution (120 ml), and the aqueous layer was extracted twice with dichloromethane (50 ml). Then the combined organic layers were washed twice with water (100 ml), dried over MgSO4 and filtered. The solvent was evaporated and the residue distilled under reduced pressure (120-140° C., 0.4 mbar) to give 38 g (186 mmol, 74% yield) of pure 2-methoxy-4-methyl-phenyl methyl carbonate.

Provenance & Evidence