Results Synthesis. The synthesis (Scheme I) of 5-hydroxy-3-mercapto-4-methoxybenzoic acid (5) was initiated from the 3-nitro analogue of isovanillic acid (l), which was readily available.* The reduction of the nitro compound 1 to the corresponding amine 2 was accomplished using catalytic hydrogenation conditions. Compound 2 was diazotized
