Efficient Total Synthesis of Racemic Bisabolane Sesquiterpenes Curcuphenol and Xanthorrhizol Starting from Substituted Acetophenones

A total synthesis of natural bisabolane sesquiterpenes curcuphenol ( 1 ) and xanthorrhizol ( 2 ) was developed by using the substituted acetophenones 4 and 5 , respectively, as starting materials. The acetyl group of the latter was activated through ethoxycarbonylation to carry out the prenylation, which was performed successfully to give their respective precursors 11a and 11b , and 21 that were converted into the corresponding natural sesquiterpenes 1 and 2 , respectively, over four steps and in high overall yields.