93-03-8

Colorless to light yellow liqui

3,4-Dimethoxybenzyl Alcohol is a secondary metabolite of some lignin degrading fungi. Recent studies have been conducted to explore whether 3,4-Dimethoxybenzyl Alcohol, a product from the biodegradati on of lignocellulosic biomass, could be used as the fuel of the microbial fuel cell (MFC) to generate power.

ChEBI: A member of the class of benzyl alcohols that is benzyl alcohol in which the hydrogens at positions 3 and 4 of the phenyl group are substituted by methoxy groups.

Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 34, p. 4109, 1986 DOI: 10.1248/cpb.34.4109
The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 59, p. 7138, 1994 DOI: 10.1021/jo00102a048

Using 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde as a raw material, reduction is carried out in methanol or other alcohol solvents by adding sodium borohydride (a mild reducing agent commonly used in industry), with the reaction stirred at room temperature to reflux temperature; or in the laboratory, lithium aluminum hydride (in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran or diethyl ether) can be used for reduction. After the reaction is completed, the product 3,4-dimethoxybenzyl alcohol is obtained by acidification, extraction, drying, distillation or recrystallization.