One Step Conversion of Toxic β-asarone fromAcorus calamusinto 1-(2,4,5-Trimethoxyphenyl)-1,2-dihydroxypropane and Asaronaldehyde Occurring inPiper clusii*

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