Novel Two Step Synthesis of o Methoxycinnamic Acid

Abstract: o Methoxycinnamic acid(OMA) was prepared by Claisen Schmidt condensation of o methoxybenzaldehyde(OMD) with acetone and then by Lieben haloform reaction of the intermediate o methoxybenzalacetone(OMT) with NaClO. Acetone and OMD were condensed with a molar ratio of 2.5 at 20—30 °C for 6 h to obtain crude OMT, which was used directly in haloform reaction at 20—30 °C for 8 h to obtain OMA with a total yield of 81% after recrystallization from φ=30% ethanol solution(GC purity 99.2%).