Synthesis of Saturated Anacardic Acids, and Alkenyl and Alkynyl Analogues†

Abstract

The C-alkylation of esters of 2-methoxy-6-methylbenzoic acid and of the 4-methyl isomers affords a route to homologous compounds of the natural anacardic acid series and of the unnatural isoanacardic acids respectively; ω-alkenyl and ω-alkynyl compounds suitable for synthesising other natural phenolic lipids or for structure–activity studies are also accessible.