Ethyl 4-hydroxyphenylacetate → Ethyl 4-(3,4-methylenedioxybenzyloxy)-phenylacetate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a sodium alcoholate solution of 2.16 gm (94 mmol) of sodium in 100 ml ethanol were added 16.9 gm (94 mmol) of ethyl 4-hydroxyphenylacetate with agitation. Then, 16.0 gm (94 mmol) of 3,4-methylenedioxybenzyl chloride were added dropwise, and the mixture was maintained at the boiling temperature for eight hours. After evaporation, taking up of the residue in ether, washing with Na2CO3 solution and water, treating of the ether solution with activated charcoal, and evaporation, the residue was distilled at 0.13 mbar. The volatile material that was removed by distillation until a pot temperature of 240° C. was reached, amounted to 5.9 grams. The residue of 21 gm was chromatographed in a column of silica gel (granule size 0.063 to 0.200 mm, available from Merck & Co.), with methylene chloride as solvent. An amount of 16.7 gm of ethyl 4-(3,4-methylenedioxybenzyloxy)-phenylacetate (57% of theory), with a melting point of 49° to 52° C. and refractive index nD20 =1.5643, was obtained.

Provenance & Evidence