Methanol → 3-Tert-butylbenzyl methyl ether

Participants

Reaction Steps

For the electrochemical methoxylation of 3-tert-butyltoluene of the formula (II), an electrolyte consisting of 105 g of the compound of the formula (II), 1.9 g of sulfuric acid (96-98%) as conductive salt and 593.1 g of methanol was electrolyzed at 45° C. and at a current density of 34 mA/cm2 in an undivided capillary gap cell having 10 round graphite electrodes (A=32 cm2) until an amount of charge of 15 F/mol of the compound of the formula (II) was reached. Work-up by distillation gave 33.3 g of the compound of the formula (I) and 7.5 g of 3-tert-butylbenzyl methyl ether, corresponding to a total yield of acetal and ether of 30%.

Provenance & Evidence