4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde (I) was acetylated using Ac2O in pyridine. The resultant 4-(acetyloxy)benzaldehyde (II) was then subjected to a Wadsworth-Emmons condensation with trimethyl phosphonoacetate to afford methyl 4-(acetyloxy)cinnamate (III). After catalytic double bond hydrogenation, the resultant saturated ester (IV) was reduced by LiAlH4 to furnish 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-propanol (V) 朼lternatively (V) can be obtained by reduction with LiAlH4 of the propionic acid derivative (VI) (isolated from Asplenium onopteris)-. Methylation of the phenolic hydroxyl group of (V) with iodomethane and K2CO3 in acetone gave the methyl ether (VII). Then, oxidation of alcohol (VII) to 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propanal (VIII) was accomplished by means of pyridinium chlorochromate.
Condensation of acetaldehyde with methyl acrylate (VIII) under Bayliss-Hillmann conditions gave rise to the allylic alcohol (IX). Bromination of (IX) using N-bromosuccinimide and dimethyl sulfide proceeded with rearrangement to the allyl bromide (X). This was then coupled with aldehyde (VII) in the presence of metallic tin and catalytic amounts of HOAc to produce, after acid-catalyzed cyclization, the target methylene butyrolactone derivative.