Question

How to convert phenol to aspirin?

Answer 1

Consider the Kolbe Schmitt reaction...

Explanation:

And this treats phenol with sodium hydroxide and carbon dioxide under high pressure.

`C_6H_5OH stackrel(CO_2(g), NaOH)rarro-C_6H_4(CO_2^(-)Na^(+))O^(-)Na^(+)`

Acetylation of the acid with acetic anhydride in the presence of phosphoric acid...

`o-C_6H_4(CO_2H)OH+(H_3C(=O))_2Ostackrel(H_3PO_4, Delta)rarrunderbrace(o-C_6H_4(CO_2H)O(O=)C-CH_3)_"ASA, acetylsalicylic acid"`

I think this is the commercial synthesis, and thousand-tonne quantities of aspirin are produced yearly by this method.