One step conversion of toxic beta-asarone from Acorus calamus into 1-(2,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-1,2-dihydroxypropane and asaronaldehyde occurring in Piper clusii

1-(2,4,5-Trimetiioxyphenyl)-1,2-dihydroxypropane (2), a natural phenylpropanoid occurring in Piper clusii, has been synthesized for the first time from toxic p-asarone (1) of Acorus calamus with osmium tetroxide, while I with osmium tetroxide (catalytic amount) in presence of sodium metaperiodate furnished the asaronaldehyde (3) in high yield.