Acetic Acid → (1,1'-Biphenyl)-2,3'-diol

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of o-cresol (5 g, 46.3 mmol) and 3-pentanone (2 g, 23.2 mmol) in acetic acid (20 mL) was added conc H2SO4 (4 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 3 days, poured over ice, and diluted with 1:5 ethyl acetate/hexanes. The organic fraction was separated, washed with water and brine, dried over MgSO4, and concentrated in vacuo. Chromatography (silica, 5% ethyl acetate in hexanes) afforded 2.2 g of diphenol 6. 1HNMR (CDCl3) δ: 6.90 (d, J=2 Hz, 2 H, Ar—H), 6.95 (dd, J=2 Hz, J=8.6 Hz, 2 H, Ar—H), 6.64 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 2 H, Ar—H), 2.21 (s, 6 H, Ar—CH3), 2.0 (q, J=7.3 Hz, 4 H, CH2CH3), 0.60 (t, J=7.3 Hz, 4 H, CH2CH3).

Provenance & Evidence