Synthèse de l'évernine

Synthesis of Evernin Two syntheses of the depside evernin 6 are described. Condensation of methyl acetoacetate and methyl crotonate followed by aromatization and reduction with Raney ‐Ni led to methyl orsellinate (3) . The condensation of everninic acid (4) , obtained by partial methylation of 3 and saponification of the methyl ester, with methyl 2, 4‐dihydroxy‐3, 6‐dimethylbenzoate (methyl β‐orcin carboxylate) (5) in presence of cyclohexylcarbodiimide gave evernin ( 6 ). In a second syntheis methyl dihydroorsellinate (1) was regiospecifically converted into its 4‐methyl enol ether and aromatized via the benzene selenenyl derivative to yield methyl evernate (7) . Benzylation followed by saponification gave the free acid 8 . Methyl β‐orcin carboxylate (5) was synthesized in an analogous way from methyl 3,6‐dimethyl‐2,4‐dioxocyclohexanecarboxylate. Condensation of 8 with the methyl ester 5 by treatment with trifluoroacetic anhydride in toluene yielded 9 , which could be converted into evernin ( 6 ) by hydrogenolysis of the benzyl ether.