Scheme I summarizes the synthesis of the title compound 5. Two convenient starting materials, 3-ethylphenol (1) and 3-methoxyacetophenone, are readily available. Phase- transfer-catalyzed methylation of 1 provided quantitatively 3-methoxyethylbenzene (2). Similar high yields of 2 are obtained by Clemmenson reduction of the acetophenone. Attempts to obtain 2 from 3-methoxybenzaldehyde via Wittig reaction with ...
