A Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction of ortho-hydroxy-aromatic bromide 8 with isopropenylboronic acid pinacol ester has been investigated. It was found that the catalyst of Pd-2(dba)(3)/PCy3 in dioxan-water gave good yield by suppressing the formation of isomeric side product 14. (+)-Callitrisic acid was synthesized from (+)-podocarpic acid using this condition with an overall yield of 54 % in about five steps. (+)-Callitrisic acid was found to be almost three times more potent than dehydroabietic acid to open a voltage-gated potassium channel.
Funding Agencies|Center for Systems Neurobiology, Linkopings Univetsitet; Swedish Research Council; Swedish Brain Foundation; Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation