A highly efficient approach to vanillin starting from 4-cresol?

Green Chemistry Pub Date: 2014-02-18 DOI: 10.1039/C4GC00003J

Abstract

A highly efficient approach to the famous flavor and fragrance compound vanillin has been developed starting from 4-cresol with the attention focused on improving the sustainability of all the reactions. The approach involves a three-step sequence of the quasi-quantitative selective clean oxybromination of 4-cresol, the high-yield selective aerobic oxidation of 2-bromo-4-cresol, and the quantitative methoxylation of 3-bromo-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde with the recovery of pure methanol. Herein, the pivotal oxidation and methoxylation reactions are logically investigated and developed into two concise methodologies. As a green alternative, the approach holds significant value for the sustainable manufacturing of vanillin.

Graphical abstract: A highly efficient approach to vanillin starting from 4-cresol
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