I haven't tried it, but I have a synth outline lying around here...
1) 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromobenzaldehyde
2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (66.5 g - 0.4 mole) was dissolved in 300 ml of CH2Cl2. Anhydrous SnCl4 (115g, 0.44 mole) was added, followed by 64 g if Br2 over a 1 hour period. The resulting solution was refluxed for two hours and stirred overnight at room temperature. The orange suspension was poured over 500g of ice, and the layers were separated. The organic layer was washed with 10% NaHCO3 and H2O and dried (Na2SO4). After filtration the solvent was evaporated in vacuo, and the solid residue recrystallized from MeOH/H2O to yield 64g (66%) of the aldehyde, mp 132-133øC.
Ref:
J. Med. Chem. 14(4), 370-372 (1971)
(
https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/pdf/nichols/nichols-bromomethoxyamphetamines.pdf)
2) 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromo-beta-Nitrostyrene
Aldehyde in acetic acid and NH4OAc, nitromethane, reflux 3 h.
3) 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromo-N-hydroxy-phenethylamine (HOB)
Dissolve in THF, add 10 M borane-dimethylsulfide complex and NaBH4. Stir for a week. Add H2O and HCl. Reflux for 30 min. Pour in H2O, wash with CH2Cl2, make basic with 25% NaOH, and extract with CH2Cl2. Remove solvent under vacuum, dissolve residue in IPA, add HCl, and dilute with ether. Filter off the crystals of (3).
Ref: PiHKAL p. 682-687.
http://rhodium.lycaeum.org
