Catechol → 2-(3-Methoxypropyloxy)-phenol

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of 22 g of pyrocatechol in 80 ml of dimethylformamide is added at room temperature, within a period of 30 minutes, to a suspension of 8.4 g of NaH (60% dispersion in mineral oil) in 300 ml of dimethylformamide, and the mixture is stirred for one hour at room temperature. A solution of 49.3 g of 3-bromopropyl methyl ether in 80 ml of dimethylformamide is then added dropwise. The reaction mixture is stirred for a further 80 hours at room temperature and is then concentrated by evaporation under reduced pressure at a bath temperature of 30° C. The residue is partitioned between diethyl ether and water. The combined organic phases are dried over magnesium sulfate and concentrated by evaporation, and the residue is purified by FC (100 g of silica gel, hexane/dichloromethane=5:95), yielding the title compound: Rf (dichloromethane/diethyl ether=96:4)=0.35; HPLC Rt =11.2 minutes.

Provenance & Evidence