Reaction Steps
To a solution of 22.2 g (92.0 mmol) of 4-bromo-2-methyl-methoxyindane in 200 ml of THF 36.9 ml of 2.5 M (92.1 mmol) nBuLi in hexanes was added for 20 minutes at −80° C. This mixture was stirred for 30 minutes at this temperature, cooled to −110° C., and 4.86 g (110 mmol) of ethylene oxide was added by one portion at vigorous stirring. The resulting mixture was stirred for 12 hours at room temperature, and then 10 ml of water was added. The organic layer was separated and evaporated to dryness. To the residue 150 ml of water was added, and the crude product was extracted with 3×100 ml of dichloromethane. The combined organic extract was dried over Na2SO4 and evaporated to dryness. The product was isolated by flash chromatography on silica gel 60 (40-63 μm, eluent: hexanes-ether=20:1, vol.). Yield 14.7 g (77%) of a ca. 1 to 1.1 mixture of two diastereomers. Anal. calc. for C13H18O2: C, 75.69; H, 8.80. Found: C, 75.80; H, 8.94. 1H NMR (CDCl3): δ 7.29 (m, 2H, 6-H of both isomers), 7.23 (m, 2H, 7-H of both isomers), 7.15 (m, 2H, 5-H of both isomers), 4.58 (d, J=5.5 Hz, 1H, CHOMe of minor isomer), 4.48 (d, J=4.0 Hz, 1H, CHOMe of major isomer), 3.53 (s, 3H, OMe of major isomer), 3.48 (s, 3H, OMe of minor isomer), 3.74 (m, 4H, CH2Br of both isomers), 3.27 (dd, J=15.9 Hz, J=7.7 Hz, 1H, 3-CHH′ of major isomer), 2.97 (dd, J=15.0 Hz, J=6.8 Hz, 1H, 3-CHH′ of minor isomer), 2.82 (m, 4H, CH2CH2Br of both isomers), 2.73 (dd, J=15.0 Hz, J=7.0 Hz, 1H, 3-CHH′ of minor isomer), 2.54-2.71 (m, 4H, CHMe and OH of both isomers), 2.46 (dd, J=15.9 Hz, J=5.0 Hz, 1H, 3-CHH′ of major isomer), 1.18 (d, J=7.0 Hz, 3H, 2-Me of major isomer), 1.15 (d, J=7.9 Hz, 3H, 2-Me of minor isomer). 13C{1H} NMR (CDCl3): δ 142.6, 142.4, 141.9 (2C), 134.8, 134.6, 128.9, 128.7, 126.6, 126.2, 123.4, 123.2, 91.4, 86.1, 62.3, 62.2, 56.6, 56.2, 39.1, 38.3, 36.8, 36.5, 36.4, 36.2, 19.3, 13.5.
