Alternatively, the condensation of 1,3-benzodioxole-5-carbaldehyde ethylene ketal (VIII) with carbaldehyde (V) by means of n-BuLi gives the hydroxy ketal (IX), which is treated with Ac2O, HOAc and maleic anhydride (XI) at 140 C to perform a Diels-Alder cyclization between the nonisolated isobenzofuran (X) (a reactive diene) and the maleic anhydride (the dienophile), giving rise to the cyclic anhydride (XII). Finally, this compound is reduced with NaBH4 to the target compound along with some structural isomer (XIII) that is separated by chromatography.
The condensation of 4-iodo-1,3-benzodioxole-5-carbaldehyde (I) with dimethyl succinate (II) by means of NaOMe in aqueous methanol gives the benzylidene derivative (III), which is condensed with 1,3-benzodioxole-5-carbaldehyde (IV) by means of NaOMe in methanol, affording the bis-benzylidene hemiester (V). The selective reduction of (V) with LiEt3BH, followed by lactonization with ethyl chloroformate and TEA in THF, yields the lactone (VI), which is finally cyclized by means of Pd(OAc)2 and K2CO3 at 110 C through the nonisolated intermediate (VII), providing the target compound.