The Journal of Organic Chemistry
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H2SO4 (6 μL, 0.108 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at 50 °C
for 9 h. The 1H NMR analysis with an internal reference indicated that
the yields of 3a, 10b, 4a, and 9b were 32%, 33%, 50%, and 66%,
respectively.
The crude product was purified with flash column chromatography
(petroleum ether/ethyl acetate from 12/1 to 5/1) to provide 18 (25.9
mg, 0.078 mmol, 78%) and 5 (27.0 mg, 0.093 mmol) as white solids.
Oxidation of 3-Phenylpropyl Acetate (21). To a suspension of
2-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-4-methoxyphenol (1; 46.1 mg, 0.15
mmol) and 21 (8.9 mg, 0.05 mmol) in dichloromethane (25 μL)
was added H2SO4 (6 μL, 0.108 mmol). The mixture was heated to 50
°C for 13.9 h. The crude product was purified with flash column
chromatography (petroleum ether/ethyl acetate from 16/1 to 5/1) to
provide 3a (16.1 mg, 0.038 mmol, 76%) and 5 (12.3 mg, 0.042 mmol)
as white solids.
Oxidation of ε-Caprolactone (22). To a suspension of 2-
(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-4-methoxyphenol (1; 132.1 mg, 0.43 mmol)
and ε-caprolactone (15.3 mg, 0.134 mmol) in dichloromethane (75
μL) was added H2SO4 (8 μL, 0.144 mmol). After 27 h, the reaction
was quenched with Na2CO3 (20 mg, 0.19 mmol), and the solvent was
removed. The obtained residue was treated with a solution of NaOH
(9.6 mg, 0.24 mmol) in methanol (1.2 mL). After the mixture was
stirred at room temperature for 24 h, it was quenched with HCl (6 N,
2 mL) and extracted with dichloromethane (1.3 mL × 5). The
combined organic layers were concentrated, and the and the residue
was purified first with a flash chromatography column (petroleum
ether/ethyl acetate 5/1) to provide 5 (33.0 mg, 0.114 mmol) as a
white solid. The column was then eluted with dichloromethane/ethyl
acetate (4/1) to provide 23 (33.2 mg, 0.079 mmol, 59%) as a colorless
oil. Data for 23: Rf = 0.36 (dichloromethane/ethyl acetate 4/1);
1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.37−7.33 (m, 5H), 7.26−7.22 (m,
5H), 6.84 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 6.75 (dd, J = 8.9, 3.0 Hz, 1H), 6.36 (d,
J = 2.9 Hz, 1H), 4.94 (t, J = 5.1 Hz, 1H), 3.63 (s, 3H), 2.33 (t, J = 7.3
Hz, 2H), 1.91−1.77 (m, 2H), 1.69−1.40 (m, 4H); 13C NMR (75
MHz, CDCl3) δ 152.2, 147.2, 143.64, 143.62, 132.7, 129.41, 129.37,
128.2, 126.1, 125.1, 115.8, 110.3, 82.2, 68.4, 55.6, 49.9, 33.0, 25.3; IR
(neat; cm−1) 2952, 1708, 1495, 1403, 1233, 1047, 909, 810, 758, 734,
704, 648; HRMS (ESI) m/e calcd for C26H26O5Na 441.1673, found
441.1672.
Competing Oxidation of 2-Ethylhexanol (4f) and 3-Phenyl-
1-propanol (4a). To a suspension of 2-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-4-
methoxyphenol (1; 121 mg, 0.395 mmol), 4f (23.1 mg, 0.178 mmol),
and 4a (25.1 mg, 0.184 mmol) in dichloromethane (50 μL) was added
H2SO4 (6 μL, 0.108 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at 50 °C
for 9 h. The 1H NMR analysis with an internal reference indicated the
yields of 3a,f and 4a,f were 78%, 8%, 19%, and 80%, respectively.
Oxidation of Diethyl Ether. To a solution of 2-(hydroxydiphe-
nylmethyl)-4-methoxyphenol (1; 22.0 mg, 0.072 mmol) in diethyl
ether (35 μL) was added H2SO4 (2 μL, 0.036 mmol). The resulting
mixture was stirred at 50 °C for 10.5 h. The crude product was purified
with flash column chromatography (petroleum ether/ethyl acetate
gradually from 15/1 to 5/1) to provide 18 (9.7 mg, 0.029 mmol, 40%)
and 5 (9.2 mg, 0.0317 mmol), both as white solids. Data for 18: Rf =
1
0.53 (petroleum ether/ethyl acetate 15/1); mp 125.0−126.0 °C; H
NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.43−7.29 (m, 5H), 7.25 (d, J = 3.2 Hz,
5H), 6.85 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 6.80−6.69 (m, 1H), 6.36 (d, J = 2.9 Hz,
1H), 5.11 (d, J = 5.1 Hz, 1H), 3.63 (s, 3H), 1.51 (d, J = 5.1 Hz, 3H);
13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3) δ 152.9, 146.6, 146.0, 144.3, 129.1,
128.13, 128.10, 128.0, 127.9, 127.5, 125.8, 117.5, 115.1, 114.1, 92.5,
84.3, 55.6, 20.8; IR (neat; cm−1) 2994, 1493, 1446, 1400, 1274, 1231,
1098, 756, 701; HRMS (ESI) m/e calcd for C22H21O3 333.1485, found
333.1484.
Oxidation of 3-Phenylpropyl Benzyl Ether (19). To a
suspension of 2-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-4-methoxyphenol (1; 41.3
mg, 0.135 mmol) and 3-phenylpropyl benzyl ether (19; 12 mg, 0.053
mmol) in dichloromethane (25 μL) was added H2SO4 (3 μL, 0.054
mmol). The mixture was heated at 50 °C for 5.5 h before more PPG 1
(31.1 mg, 0.1 mmol) was added. The mixture was then heated at 50
°C for 10 h more. The crude product was filtrated through a silica gel
plug (eluted with petroleum ether/ethyl acetate 1/1) to provide a
yellow liquid, and its composition was determined by NMR analysis
with an internal reference (i.e., DMAP). The yields of 3a,c and the
recovered 19 were 68%, 72%, and 18%, respectively. The ratio of the
combined acetals 3a,c to 5 was 1:1.15.
Oxidation of Tetrahydrofuran. To a suspension of 2-(hydroxy-
diphenylmethyl)-4-methoxyphenol (1; 202.9 mg, 0.662 mmol) and
THF (10.6 mg, 0.147 mmol) in dichloromethane (125 μL) was added
H2SO4 (8 μL, 0.144 mmol). The mixture was heated to 50 °C for 6 h.
The crude product was washed with acetonitrile (three times) to
remove 5. The combined acetonitrile solutions were concentrated and
purified with flash column chromatography (benzene/ethyl acetate
100/1) to provide 5 (73.9 mg, 0.254 mmol). The white solid residue
was washed with methanol and dichloromethane to provide
compound 20 as a white solid (0.101 mmol, 68%). Data for 20:
Rf = 0.3 (petroleum ether/ethyl acetate 10/1); mp 263.0−264.0 °C;
1H NMR (700 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.40−7.34 (m, 5H), 7.28−7.22 (m,
5H), 6.82 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 6.76 (dd, J = 9.0, 3.0 Hz, 1H), 5.02 (s,
1H), 3.66 (s, J = 5.1 Hz, 3H), 2.08 (dd, J = 9.9, 3.0 Hz, 1H), 1.97 (dd,
J = 9.9, 3.0 Hz, 1H); 13C NMR (176 MHz, CDCl3) δ 152.8, 146.4,
146.0, 144.1, 129.2, 128.1, 128.0, 127.9, 127.5, 125.8, 117.6, 115.0,
114.0, 94.7, 84.1, 55.6, 28.4; IR (neat; cm−1) 2924, 2852, 1494, 1275,
1042, 729; HRMS (ESI) m/e calcd for C44H38O6Na 685.2563, found
685.2566.
Oxidation of 26. To a suspension of 2-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-
4-methoxyphenol (1; 116.5 mg, 0.38 mmol) and the compound 26
(31.6 mg, 0.15 mmol) in dichloromethane (300 μL) was added H2SO4
(2 μL, 0.036 mmol). The mixture was heated to 50 °C for 23.3 h. The
crude product was directly loaded onto a flash column and eluted with
petroleum ether/ethyl acetate from 12/1 to 8/1 to provide 27 (59.1 mg,
0.119 mmol, 78%) as a yellow oil: Rf = 0.38 (petroleum ether/ethyl
1
acetate 8/1); H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3) δ 8.04−8.01 (m, 2H),
7.56−7.51 (m, 5H), 7.43−7.31 (m, 7H), 7.26−7.21 (m, 5H), 6.84 (d,
J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 6.74 (dd, J = 8.9, 2.9 Hz, 1H), 6.37 (d, J = 2.9 Hz,
1H), 4.97 (t, J = 5.0 Hz, 1H), 4.29 (t, J = 6.3 Hz, 2H), 3.62 (s, 3H),
1.95−1.87 (m, 2H), 1.79−1.55 (m, 4H); 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3)
δ 166.6, 152.8, 146.5, 146.0, 144.2, 132.8, 130.4, 129.5, 129.2, 128.3,
128.1, 128.0, 127.8, 127.5, 125.8, 117.5, 115.0, 114.1, 94.8, 84.2, 64.8,
55.5, 34.0, 28.4, 20.1; IR (neat; cm−1) 3061, 3034, 2954, 1718, 1602,
1585, 1494, 1464, 1449, 1315, 1275, 1229, 1071, 1027, 758, 712, 703;
HRMS (ESI) m/e calcd for C32H30O5Na 517.1991, found 517.1988.
Oxidation of 28. To a suspension of 2-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-
4-methoxyphenol (1; 121.2 mg, 0.40 mmol) and the compound 28
(32.0 mg, 0.18 mmol) in dichloromethane (300 μL) was added H2SO4
(2 μL, 0.036 mmol). The mixture was heated to 50 °C for 19 h. The
crude product was directly loaded onto a flash column and eluted with
petroleum ether/ethyl acetate from 15/1 to 10/1 to provide 3c (7.0 mg,
0.018 mmol, 10%) and 29 (33.7 mg, 41%) as a yellow oil. Data for 29:
Oxidation of Ethyl Acetate (with 1 as the Limiting
Reagent). To a solution of 2-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-4-methoxy-
phenol (1; 22.1 mg, 0.072 mmol) in ethyl acetate (35 μL) was added
H2SO4 (2 μL, 0.036 mmol), and the reaction mixture was stirred at 50
°C for 10.5 h. The crude product was purified with flash column
chromatography (petroleum ether/ethyl acetate from 15/1 to 5/1) to
provide 18 (9.2 mg, 0.0277 mmol, 38%) and 5 (9.1 mg, 0.0313 mmol)
as white solids.
Oxidation of Ethyl Acetate. To a suspension of 2-(hydroxy-
diphenylmethyl)-4-methoxyphenol (1; 91.9 mg, 0.3 mmol) and ethyl
acetate (8.5 mg, 0.10 mmol) in dichloromethane (50 μL) was added
H2SO4 (6 μL, 0.108 mmol). The mixture was heated to 50 °C for 13.9 h.
1
Rf = 0.38 (petroleum ether/ethyl acetate 8/1); H NMR (300 MHz,
CDCl3) δ 7.36−7.22 (m, 15H), 6.84 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 6.74 (dd, J =
8.9, 2.9 Hz, 1H), 6.36 (d, J = 2.9 Hz, 1H), 4.96 (t, J = 5.0 Hz, 1H),
4.45 (s, 2H), 3.62 (s, 3H), 3.44 (dt, J = 6.4, 0.9 Hz, 2H), 1.97−1.68
(m, 4H); 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3) δ 152.8, 146.5, 146.0, 144.2,
138.5, 129.2, 128.3, 128.1, 128.0, 127.9, 127.8, 127.6, 127.49, 127.48,
125.8, 117.5, 115.0, 114.0, 94.8, 84.1, 72.8, 69.9, 55.5, 31.2, 23.8; IR
(neat; cm−1) 3059, 3031, 2933, 2856, 1494, 1447, 1274, 1231, 757,
700; HRMS (ESI) m/e calcd for C31H30O4Na 489.2042, found
489.2042.
8960
dx.doi.org/10.1021/jo201671v|J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 8955−8961