Patent ID: 7323576

Claim:
A process for preparing 1,3-dihydroxy-1-[1R,6R)-6-(2-hydroxyprop-2-yl)-3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl]-5-pentylbenzene, of chemical formula: the 2-hydroxyprop-2-yl group at position 6 and the 1,3-dihydroxy-5-pentylphenyl group at position 1 of the cyclohexene ring being disposed trans to one another, which comprises esterifying cis-(1R,2S)-2-hydroxy-4-methylcyclohex-3-ene carboxylic acid to form a lower alkyl ester thereof: subjecting the lower alkyl ester so formed to a nucleophilic addition reaction with an appropriate organometallic compound to form cis-(3S,4R)-1-methyl-3-hydroxy-4-(2-hydroxyprop-2-yl)cyclohex-1-ene of formula: (the hydroxyl and the 2-hydroxyisopropyl substituents being disposed cis to one another), and reacting the cis-(3S,4R)-1-methyl-3-hydroxy-4-(2-hydroxyprop-2-yl)cyclohex-1-ene with olivetol (1,3-dihydroxy-5-n-pentylbenzene), of formula: