[darkdevil]

Hi,
I have a question about the tolerance of the pTSA catalyzed transetherification reaction with an alcohol in toluene at 90°C.
Just a quick example. For instance, I have a methoxy bearing styrene (like 4-methoxystyrene), can I do a transetherification on the methoxy group using (butan-1-ol , pTSA, toluene) ? Will the vinyl group take part in the reaction?
Thank you!

[discodermolide]

Trans etherification will not work under these conditions. You are more likely to get addition to the double bond.

[AlphaScent]

4-methoxystyrene contains no ester moiety whatsoever.  Please read about what esters are and their transformations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ester

[darkdevil]

4-methoxystyrene contains no ester moiety whatsoever.  Please read about what esters are and their transformations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ester

ether

[AlphaScent]

Yeah my bad.  I read esterification that whole time. 

I was wrong.