Synthesis of 5-Methoxy-6-isopropyl-1-tetralone.

1-Hydroxytetralin was converted into 5-methoxy-6-isopropyl-1-tetralone in six steps.

First Synthesis of 1,4-Dimethoxy-2-Naphthoxyacetic acid.

2-Acetyl-1-hydroxynaphthalene was converted into 1,4-dimethoxy-2-naphthoxyacetic acid in seven steps (methylation, Bayer-Villiger oxidation, hydrolysis, bromination, methylation, alkylation and hydrolysis). 2-Hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone on acetylation, aromatization, methylation and hydrolysis, respectively, also yielded the title compound.

Synthesis of 8-methyl-1-tetralone, a potential intermediate for (±)-platyphyllide.

An alternative method for the synthesis of the 8-methyl-1-tetralone from the commercially available 5-methoxy-1-tetralone has been developed. The transformation involves eight steps and affords an overall yield 25%.

Synthesis of 2-acetyl-1,4-dimethoxynaphthalene, a potential intermediate for disubstituted naphtho[2,3,c]pyran-5,10-dione.

2-Acetyl-1-hydroxynaphthalene was converted into the title compound in three steps (bromination, substitution and methylation). 1-Methoxynaphthalene on bromination, substitution and acetylation, respectively, also yielded the target compound.

Alternative procedure for the synthesis of Mansonone F and Biflorin precursor.

Synthetic studies on Mansonone F and Biflorin are described. Synthesis of ketone 12 has been achieved by utilizing tetrahydronaphthalene 8 which in turn was prepared from the 5-methoxy-alpha-tetralone 3. The conversion of 8 into ketone 12 was accomplished in four steps (O-alkylation with ethyl bromoacetate, dehydrogenation, alkaline hydrolysis and cyclization with phosponate ester).