Addition of benzylmagnesium chloride to O-(trimethylsilyl)cyanohydrin (II) (obtained from phenylacetaldehyde (I) and Me3SiCN), led to benzylacyloin (III). Esterification with ethyl oxalyl chloride (IV) in the presence of Et3N afforded oxalate (V), which was cyclized with DBU in cold DMF to provide dihydrogrevillin (VI). This was methylated with ethereal diazomethane to give ether (VII), and then brominated in AcOH. Elimination of the resulting bromide (VIII) by treatment with DBU produced (IX), which was demethylated with BBr3 to afford grevillin (X). This compound was isomerized with NaOEt in EtOH to produce terphenyl quinone (XI). Finally, Perkin reaction with phenylacetic acid (XII), followed by treatment with HBr furnished the title compound.