It can be prepared in four different ways: 1) By a Friedel-Crafts reaction of 1,2,4-triethoxybenzene (I) with succinic anhydride (II) by means of AlCl3 in tetrachloroethane (1). 2) The Friedel-Crafts reaction of (I) with maleic anhydride (III) by means of AlCl3 gives trans-3-(2,4,5-triethoxybenzoyl)acrylic acid (IV), which is then hydrogenated with H2 over Pd/C (2). 3) The condensation of (I) with succinic acid half ethyl ester (V) by means of polyphosphoric acid gives ethyl 3-(2,4,5-triethoxybenzoyl)propionate (VI), which is then hydrolyzed with NaOH (3).
4) The condensation of 2,4,5-triethoxyphenacyl chloride (VII) with ethyl malonate (VIII) by means of NaOH gives diethyl 2,4,5-triethoxyphenacylmalonate (IX), which is finally hydrolyzed and decarboxylated in hot 30% H2SO4.