6,7-dimethoxyphthalide

Compound 7 (91.0 g, 0.5 mol), HCHO solution (81 g, 1.0 mol), HCl (80 g, 0.8 mol) and AcOH (200 g) were heated at 50~60 °C for 24 h to obtain a clear solution, which was then poured into cold water Chemicalbook (1kg). The resulting solid was collected by suction filtration, washed with water (60 g x 3), and dried at 50 °C to give crude cinnamon 8 (95 g) as a tan solid, which was purified by recrystallization from 90% MeOH/H2O (180 g) ) to obtain purified Meconin.

White Solid

A lactone of meconinic acid, extracted from opium. Meconin is a marker for illicit opiate use.

ChEBI: Meconine is a member of 2-benzofurans.

Tetrahedron Letters, 28, p. 3369, 1987 DOI: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)95515-1