Acetone → 4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-3-methoxybenzaldehyde

Participants

Reaction Steps

25.9 g (170 mmol) vanillin (Aldrich), 33.3 g (266 mmol) 2-bromoethanol (Aldrich), 35.2 g (255 mmol) potassium carbonate (Sigma-Aldrich), and 20 g molecular sieves (Aldrich) were combined in a 1 liter round bottom flask equipped with magnetic stirrer and nitrogen inlet. Acetone (600 ml) (Chromesolv for HPLC, >99.9%, Sigma-Aldrich) was added and the reaction mixture was refluxed for 16 hours using an external glycerol heating bath set to 65° C. The solids were filtered and the solvent was removed via rotary evaporation to yield a yellow oil. White crystals were obtained by recrystallization in ethyl alcohol at −20° C. (40% yield).

Provenance & Evidence