Biosynthesis of phenols. Part XXII. Synthesis of 3-isopentyl-2,6-dimethoxyphenyl-(3,6-dimethoxy-2,4-dimethylphenyl)methane, a degradation product of arugosin
Abstract
The synthesis of a diphenylmethane (3) which had been obtained earlier by degradation of arugosin, a metabolite of Aspergillus rugulosus, confirms the structure assigned to this unusual natural product. The synthesis involved the novel use of aryl-lithium derivatives for the preparation of a highly substituted diphenylmethanol in good yield.