Description
6-methoxy-2-tetralone has been selected as the starting material for the synthesis of many steroidal compounds, including 2-aminotetalin derivatives, which exhibit antifungal activities, tetrahydro benzocycloheptane and many terpenoid compounds. 6-methoxy-2-tetralone is more expensive, difficult to synthesize, and unstable in comparison to 6-methoxy-1-tetralone[1].
Synthesis
To a suspension of MCPBA (1.5g, 8.7mmol) in dry dichloromethane (16mL), cooled in ice, was added dihydro naphthalene (616mg, 3.8mmol) dissolved in dichloromethane (2mL). The reaction mixture was stirred overnight, filtered, diluted with dichloromethane, washed with a solution of sodium bicarbonate (5%), brine, dried, and evaporated to obtain an oil (591mg), which without purification was dissolved in ethanol (3mL) and treated with sulfuric acid (3mL, 10%) and heated under reflux for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled, diluted with water, and extracted three times using chloroform. The organic extracts were washed with brine, dried, and evaporated to obtain an oil which, on purification (eluent hexane: ether 7:3), afforded 6-Methoxy-2-tetralone.
