synthesis 1992 12: 1229-1231
"a convenient synthesis of 1-aryl-2-propanone precursors of a-methyldopa"
zhong-wei an, rino d'aloisio, carlo venturello
abstract: a simple two-step approach to 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)- and 1-[3,4-(methylenedioxy)phenyl]-2-propanone
(4a and 4b), useful intermediates for a-methyldopa, is described. it is based on the epoxidation of the widely available
methyleugenol (1-allyl-3,4-dimethoxybenzene, 1a) and safrole [1-allyI-3,4-(methylenedioxy)benzene, 1b] with
hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by tungsten peroxo complex 2a under two-phase conditions, followed by isomerization
of the intermediate epoxides 3a and 3b by lithium iodide.