A Short Synthesis of Bisabolane Sesquiterpenes

A facile total synthesis of three members of the bisabolane sesquiterpene family, namely (+/-)-curcumene, (+/-)-xanthorrhizol and (+/-)-curcuhydroquinone had been achieved in high overall yield. The synthesis used bromobenzene derivatives as starting materials. The halogen-lithium exchange followed by addition of isoprenylacetone and reduction of the obtained carbinols are the key steps of the synthetic pathway. This synthetic approach provides a new route to the bisabolane sesquiterpenes.