An efficient multigram-scale synthesis of 4-(ω-chloroalkoxy)phenols
Efficient multigram two-step syntheses of 4-(2-chloroethoxy)phenol and 4-(3-chloropropoxy)phenol in >70% yields starting from 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and reagents with general formula Cl(CH2)nX (X = Cl, n = 2; X = OTs, n = 3) are proposed. 4-(2-Chloroethoxy)phenol can also be conveniently prepared from 4-methoxyphenol and 1,2-dichloroethane. The compounds thus obtained can be used in carbohydrate chemistry to synthesize glycosides bearing "universal" 4-(ω-chloroalkoxy)phenyl aglycons.