Synthesis
Step 1: m-triphenol (47.6 mol, 6 kg) was added to 24 liters of trifluoroacetic acid and stirred under heated reflux for 20 hours.
Step 2: 15 liters of trifluoroacetic acid are evaporated under reduced pressure to give a residual solid.
Step 3: 10 liters of dichloromethane were added to the residual solids, stirred to form a homogeneous slurry, filtered, and the solids were washed with dichloromethane to dry 5 kg of a pinkish-reddish crude, as shown in the HPLC plot of the crude in Fig. 1.
Step 4: Take 2 kg of the crude product, add 20 liters of water, adjust the pH to 8 to 9 with sodium carbonate and stir under heated reflux for 18 hours, cool to room temperature, filter out the solids, and dry to yield 1.5 kg of light earthy yellow solid product.
