Prepn. of 4:methoxyethyl phenol - from 4:hydroxy benzaldehyde and methoxymethyl magnesium halide

摘要

4-(2- Methoxyethyl) phenol (I) is prepd. by treating 4-hydroxy-benzaldehyde with a halide to form an aldehyde of formula (II) (where R is a gp. that is easily eliminated). Cpd. (II) is treated with methoxy methyl magnesium chloride to form 4-(1-hydroxy-2-methoxy ethyl) phenol (III). Cpd. (III) is then dehydrated to form the 2-methoxy vinyl cpd., and hydrogenated to the 2-methoxyethyl cpd. (IV) (where R' is R or H). If necessary R' is saponified to give (I). (I) is an intermediate for the preparation of metoprolol, a cardiovascular agent.