Total Synthesis of Licochalcone E

Abstract

Total synthesis of (+/-)-licochalcone E (1), an allyl retrochalcone isolated from roots of Glycyrrhiza inflata, has been achieved from 4-tetrahydropyranyloxyacetophenone (7) with (E)-2-methoxy-4-(2-methyl-2-butenyloxy)benzaldehyde (6) or (Z)-2-methoxy-4-(2-methyl-2-butenyloxy)-benzaldehyde (11) through a convergent strategy involving aldol condensation and Claisen rearrangement as key steps.