4-Hydroxy-2-methylbenzaldehyde (2.72 g, 19.98 mmol, 1.00 eq.) and benzyl bromide (3.8 g, 22.22 mmol, 1.11 eq.) were mixed with potassium carbonate (4.14 g, 29.95 mmol, 1.50 eq.) in acetonitrile (30 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 3 hours. After completion of the reaction, water was added and extracted three times with ethyl acetate (EtOAc). The organic layers were combined, concentrated and purified by silica gel column chromatography (eluent ratio 10:1 petroleum ether/ethyl acetate) to afford 2-methyl-4-benzyloxybenzaldehyde (3.4 g, 75% yield) as a white solid.
