An improved synthesis of m-diazirinophenol

The published synthesis of phenolic diazirine was shown to result in products which were chlorinated during the hypochlorite oxidation while the desired unchlorinated product was lost during the usual work-up. A superior synthesis is described: inclusion of pyridine during the oxidation step prevents the chlorination; the desired volatile diazirine was isolated in good yield using silica gel and reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography.