Water → Methyl 3-hydroxy-5-isopropoxybenzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a stirred solution of methyl 3,5-dihydroxybenzoate (0.1 mol) in DMF (180 mL) was added powdered potassium carbonate (0.2 mol) and 2-iodopropane (0.1 mol), and the resulting mixture stirred at ambient temperature for 16 hours. The reaction mixture was poured into water (1000 mL) and the mixture extracted with ether. The extracts were combined and washed sequentially with water (twice) and brine; the solution was dried (MgSO4), filtered and evaporated in vacuo to give the crude product as a pale yellow oil (12.6 g). This was treated with toluene (40 mL) and allowed to stand overnight. The insoluble material (starting phenol) was removed by filtration, and the filtrate evaporated in vacuo. The resulting oil was chromatographed (2×90 g Biotage silica cartridges), eluting with hexane containing ethyl acetate (10% increasing to 15% v/v). The title compound was obtained as an oil (25% yield). 1H NMR δ (d6-DMSO): 1.2 (d, 6H), 3.8 (s, 3H), 4.5-4.6 (hept, 1H), 6.55 (m, 1H), 7.85 (m, 1H), 7.95 (m, 1H), 9.8 (s, 1H)

Provenance & Evidence