Trimethoxybenzene (10.4 g, 62 mmol) was added to tetrahydrofuran (50 cm³) and the solution magnetically stirred under N₂ and cooled in dry ice. n-Butyllithium (30 cm³, ca. 2.5M in hexane, 75 mmol) was added dropwise so that the temperature did not exceed –5 ºC. After the addition the mixture, now containing a thick cream precipitate, was allowed to stir for 1 h at room temperature. Dimethyl sulfate (8 cm³, 80 mmol) was added with cooling (exothermic reaction!) so that the temperature did not exceed 25 ºC. At the end of the addition nearly all the solid had dissolved. After standing overnight, aqueous ammonia (d 0.880, 5 cm³) was added to destroy any excess dimethyl sulfate and after 0.5 h the mixture was evaporated at room temperature to remove the tetrahydrofuran. The residue was shaken with water (30 cm³) and 1:1 ether – 60/80 petrol (50 cm³), the phases separated and the aqueous solution extracted again. The combined organic phases were washed with water (50 cm³), dried (MgSO₄) and evaporated to give a colourless oil which solidified after standing overnight. The solid (11.4 g, 100%) could be melted and then resolidified on cooling (fp. 31 ºC),