| abstract |
Process for producing isochromans having the structure: WHEREIN R1 and R2 are each (i) separately selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkoxyl, lower alkyl, and, (ii) taken together, selected from the group consisting of benzo, cyclopentano, cyclohexano, naphtho, monoalkyl cyclopentano, polyalkyl cyclopentano, monoalkyl cyclohexano and polyalkyl cyclohexano, and R3 and R4 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl comprising the steps of intimately admixing: A. An alkanol having the structure: B. An acetal having the structure: (wherein R5 and R6 are the same or different alkyl); and C. A protonic acid selected from the group consisting of ptoluene sulfonic acid and phosphoric acid. AND HEATING THE RESULTING MIXTURE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME WHEREBY A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THE ISOCHROMAN HAVING THE ABOVE STRUCTURE IS FORMED. |