This patent describes production of 3,4-methylenedioxytoluene, piperonal, veratraldehyde and several other interesting compounds from m- and p-cresol.
Patent US4335263 (http://l2.espacenet.com/dips/viewer?PN=US4335263&CY=gb&LG=en&DB=EPD)
Abstract
A process for preparing an aromatic aldehyde represented by the following general formula:*
wherein R1 and R2 each represents a hydrogen atom a or lower alkyl group or R1 and R2 may jointly form an alkylene group, provided that R1 and R2 do not represent a hydrogen atom at the same time.
*Unfortunately I had some problems uploading the image, so you'll have to check the patent if you want to know how the formula looks like.
Life without chemistry would be a mistake.