First green protocols for the large-scale preparation of γ-diisoeugenol and related dihydro(1H)indenes via formal [3+2] cycloaddition reactions

Trans-isoeugenol and related styrenes (trans-isohomogenol or O-benzylated isoeugenol), important components of the essential oil of various tropical plants, dimerize easily in the presence of catalytic amounts of BF3·OEt2 in poly(ethylene glycol) with Mn = 400 (PEG-400) or SiO2-OSO3H in MeCN via formal [3+2] cycloaddition reaction to give respective natural products (diisoeugenol and its O-substituted analog) with the 1,2-trans-2,3-trans-configuration in excellent yields. γ-Diisoeugenol scale-up preparation has also been described.