Concise total synthesis of hericerin natural product

A concise total synthesis of hericerin, a natural product, is described. The all-synthetic sequence comprises five steps and was accomplished in 34% overall yield starting from commercially available 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde. The key steps were the introduction of the geranyl group using a ether–phenol rearrangement and the formation of isoindolinone through a Pd(OAc)2-catalyzed carbonylative ring closure.