O-Methylation of phenolic compounds with dimethyl carbonate under solid/liquid phase transfer system

The industrially important alkyl aryl ethers, of which anisole is the simplest form, can be synthesized by reacting the corresponding phenols with the environmentally benign dimethyl carbonate (DMC). The reaction is carried out under mild conditions of temperature and pressure. Excellent yields and selectivity of product were obtained after a few hours of reaction.