Asymmetric synthesis of 8-O-4´-neolignan perseal B

Full details of an enantioselective total synthesis of 8-O-4´ -neolignan perseal B are presented for the first time. The synthesis was achieved in 8 steps from vanillin and involved the asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction using AD-mix-α to give the key intermedium (1S ,2S) -1-(4-(benzyloxy)-3- methoxyphenyl)propane- 1,2,3-triol, and the Mitsunobu reaction between phenylpropanoid and vanillin formed perseal B. The synthetic method of perseal B exhibits a new route for 8-O-4´ -neolignan.