was cleanly obtained in a 77% yield. When the'reaction was interrupted after 20 hours 2,5-dihydroxycinnamic acid was the major product, 89% yield, accompanied by a little 6-hydroxycoumarin. Excess boron trichloride failed to give any reaction with 2,5-dimethoxycinnamic acid under similar conditions. The use of hydrogen bromide in acetic acid alone gave only decarboxylation to polymeric material; when combined with mercuric chloride, no definable product was obtained.The procedure may have broad utility for the synthesis of coumarins from both o-hydroxy-and o-methoxycinnamic acids, and would be especially valuable for the preparation of hydroxylated coumarins. M ethoxy cinnamic acids are in general more readily obtainable than the hydroxy acids, usually from the Dobner condensation of appropriate benzaldehydes with malonic acid. EXPERIMENTAL 6-Hydroxycoumarin. To an ice-cold solution of 26.7 grams (0.128 mole) of 2,5-dimethoxycinnamic acid (Research Organic Chemicals) in 1 liter of chloroform was added 100 grams (0.4 mole) of boron tribromide, dropwise, with stirring. The yellow solution underwent a series of color changes, eventually becoming orange-red. After one hour, the ice bath was removed and the mixture was allowed to stand for 48 hours at room temperature. The mixture was cooled in ice, and 500 ml. of ice water was added cautiously with stirring. After 30 minutes, the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic extract was dried over magnesium sulfate and evaporated in vacuo. The solid residue was stirred with 150 ml. of 5% sodium bicarbonate for 2 hours. The product was collected, washed with water and ether, and dried to leave 16.0 grams (77%) of pale yellow crystals, m.p. 247-48°C .; lit. (1) m.p. 248-50°C. The infrared spectrum was identical with material prepared by the method of Sastri et al. (3).2,5-Dihydroxycinnamic Acid. The reaction was conducted at twice the scale described above, but was worked up after 20 hours. After treatment with ice water, the resulting solid material was collected by filtration. The chloroform layer from the filtrate yielded only a trivial amount of 6-hydroxycoumarin. The filter cake was extracted with several portions of ethyl acetate, dried over magnesium sulfate, and evaporated in vacuo to leave 41.5 grams (89%) of 2,5-dihydroxycinnamic acid, m.p. 197-9°C .; lit. (2) m.p.207°C.