A simple synthesis of the natural benzofuranoquinone, acamelin
Abstract
Acamelin, an allergy-inducing benzofuranoquinone extractive of Australian blackwood has been synthesized from 3-methoxypyrocatechol in six steps. The key step involved formation of a 2-methylbenzofuran by the intramolecular Witting reaction of an ortho-acetoxybenzyl bromide.