I'd like some clarification. For the diol and the glycol to be hydrolized to the ketone, a strong acid is needed. Not specifically sulfuric acid, just a strong acid. Alright, here we go. The glycolization step, (using performic acid) according to LaBTop, if nearly quantitative. The only losses in the conversion of isosafrole to ketone is in the hydrolization step, right? Now, I read in an earlier post(fuck! I can't find it with TFSE! I'm using the exact same search words I used before,(eugenol, cleave, methoxy) but now I don't even get 1 match! Were some posts deleted?), that safrole and it's derivatives are energetically polymerized by sulfuric acid. Is this the reason behind the yeild losses? Is there another acid that could be used that didn't polymerize the diol or glycol? I don't think formic would work, it would only convert it to the glycol. So what, HCl? Nitric even? Any ideas?
I sell crack for the CIA