Synthesis 2003(16): 2464-2466  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-42408
SHORTPAPER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

A New Convenient Synthesis of Alkoxyanthracenes from Alkoxy-9,10-anthraquinones

Lingang Lu, Qiyin Chen, Xiaozhang Zhu, Chuanfeng Chen*
Center for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, P. R. China
Fax: +86(10)62559373; e-Mail: cchen@iccas.ac.cn;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 27 June 2003
Publication Date:
29 September 2003 (online)

Abstract

Methoxy-9,10-anthraquinones with mono-, di- and tetraether groups at different positions 1a-h can be directly reduced to the corresponding methoxyanthracenes 3a-h in moderate to good yields by zinc in refluxing acetic acid. Under similar conditions, ethyl 1′-anthracenoxyacetate (3i) with the ester group unaffected and 1,8-oxybis(ethyleneoxyethyleneoxy)anthracene (5) were also conveniently synthesized in 65 and 70% yields, respectively.