DIRECT FORMATION OF 4-ALKOXY DERIVATIVES FROM 2,5-DIMETHYL-4-HYDROXY-3(2H)-FURANONE AND ALIPHATIC-ALCOHOLS

The reaction of 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone (DHF) with aliph atic alcohols using a small amount of strong acid catalyst proceeded, in an analogous way to classical carboxylic acid ester formation, to g ive good yields of the 4-alkoxy derivatives. This raises the possibili ty that this type of ester-like formation might occur in foods that co ntain both DHF and alcohols. Odor threshold determinations of 4-alkoxy DHF derivatives from a number of common food alcohols including metha nol, ethanol, butanol, 3-methylbutanol, and (Z)-3-hexenol showed them, however, to be relatively weak odorants.