2-Methylresorcinol → 2,4-Dihydroxy-3-methylbenzaldehyde

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Reaction Steps

Phosphorus oxychloride (80 mL, 0.86 mol) was added to a stirred mixture of N-methylformanilide (102 mL, 0.82 mol) in ether (250 mL). The mixture was stirred for 1 hour at room temperature and then cooled in ice. 2-Methyl resorcinol (Aldrich, 100 g 0.81 mol) was added and the mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature while stirring overnight. The precipitated intermediate product was collected by filtration and rinsed with ether (3×). The intermediate was hydrolyzed by dissolving in a mixture of acetone (250 mL) and water (250 mL) and stirring for 30 minutes. Water (2 L) was added, the mixture was brought to a boil, and then allowed to cool and deposit crystalline product. This was recrystallized a second time from water (4 L) to afford pure product (70 g, 57%). M.p. 150° C. (Lit. 152°-3° C. [W. Baker et al., J. Chem. Soc., 2834-5 (1949)⟧ NMR (DMSO-d6): δ 1.973 (s, 3H), 6.551 (d, J=8.5 hz, 1H), 7.428 (d, J-8.5 hz, 1H), 9.703 (s, 1H), 10.745 (s, 1H), and 11.592 (s, 1H),

Provenance & Evidence