I looked into PHIKAL, main index, for anethole, and I was directed to # 97, which for my surprise was PMA. I figured out, though, that Shulgin uses anisaldehyde and NOT anethole for this synthesis. After looking a bit more for similar compounds, I found # 130, PMMA. I have the following assumptions, I would like someone who knows more organic chemistry than I do to confirm :
1) There is a typo in the index, it should say anisaldehyde and not anethole.
2) Looks like anethole used with performic method OR Oxone method, followed by reduction with ammonium acetate would yield PMA. With MeAm one would get PMMA.
By the way, I am only interested in the chemistry, I don't plan to make any of the two. Looks like both are similarly dangerous stuff. I though this was interesting enough to post. For those who don't know, I reiterate PMA is DANGEROUS, it is reponsible for several deaths, some wrongly atributed to MDMA. PMMA looks similar.
W.