Synthesis of (±) lupinifoun, di-o-methyl xanthohumol and isoxanthohumol and related compounds

Nuclear prenylation of naringenin (7) with 2-methylbut-3-en-2-ol in the presence of boron trifluoride etherate gives a mixture of 6-C-prenyl-(11), 8-C-prenyl-(15) and 6,8-di-C-prenyl-(8) derivatives. On formic acid cyclisation, 11 yielded two monodihydropyrans (12 and 13), but 15 afforded only one viz 16; similarly 8 formed the bisdihydropyran 10. Methylation of 8-C-prenyl naringenin (15) with Me₂SO₄ resulted in the formation of di-O-methyl derivatives of xanthohumol (22) and isoxanthohumol (23).

Cyclodehydrogenation of 6,8-di-C-prenyl-naringenin (8) with DDQ gave a mono-C-prenyl-2,2-dimethylpyran (1) corresponding to (±) lupinifolin. The angular isomer (2) was also formed. The structure of natural flemichin-B therefore needs further consideration. Similarly, cyclodehydrogenation of 6-C-(11)- and 8-C-prenyl-(15) naringenins afforded the corresponding linear (24) and angular (25) derivatives which have been characterized by conversion into known chalcones 26 and 27 by O-methylation.