The concise enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-bakuchiol has been achieved using an asymmetric 1,4-addition to construct its all-carbon chiral quaternary center based on the induction of chirality by the (2′S)-2′-phenyloxazolidinone auxiliary, followed by a one-pot transformation under aldol reaction conditions. The synthesis was completed in four steps from (E)-geranic acid in an overall yield of 53%.
Key words
bakuchiol - asymmetric 1,4-addition reaction - asymmetric aldol reaction - removal of oxazolidinone - decarboxylation - all-carbon quaternary center