Synthesis of phenolic components of Grains of Paradise

Two vanilloids, (5E)-8-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)oct-5-en-4-one (1) and 4-3-hydroxydecyl]-2-methoxyphenol (2), isolated from the dried seeds of Grains of Paradise (Aframomum melegueta), were synthesized; the latter compound was made as the S-enantiomer and the material derived from the seeds was found to be a 1:1.7 mixture of the R and S isomers. The synthetic route used should allow the preparation of analogs having extended alkyl chains and consequently different lipophilicity, and 3, a homolog of 2, was also prepared.