A concise and efficient total synthetic route of active stilbene dimer (±)- ε -viniferin.

A concise and efficient procedure for the total synthesis of natural stilbene dimer (±)- ε -viniferin was accomplished with high overall yield. Demethylation of the key intermediate methyl 3-arylbenzofuran-4-carboxylate was achieved successfully through bromination followed by BBr 3 -or BCl 3 /TBAI-mediated ether cleavage reaction. Pd/C and bromobenzene-catalyzed MOM ether cleavage was successfully carried out to aquire (±)- ε -viniferin.