Codonocarpus alkaloids—IV : Synthesis of 2-methoxy-2′-ethoxy-4-[2-(tetramethylenecarbamoyl)ethyl]-5′-[2-(propylcarbamoyl)ethyl]diphenyl ether

Synthesis of the title compound was accomplished by coupling the iodonium bromide (3) of 4-ethoxybenzaldehyde with methyl hydroferulate (4) to 2-methoxy-2′-ethoxy-4-(methyl β-propionate)-5′-formyldiphenyl ether (5) which was converted to the pyrrolidinyl amide 6, and then the aryl aldehyde group was extended to a n-propyl β-propionamide unit via the Knoevenagel malonic acid reaction through the trans-cinnamic acid 7 followed by hydrogenation and amide formation with n-propylamine.