Abstract An efficient synthesis of 8-hydroxy-6, 7-dimethoxy-3-methylisocoumarin (6-O- methylreticulol), a metabolite of several fungal species possessing phosphodiesterase inhibitor, topoisomerase I inhibitor activities and antitumor efficacy, has been described. 3, 4, 5-Trimethoxyhomophthalic acid was refluxed with acetic anhydride in dry pyridine and the resulting 2, 3, 4-trimethoxy-6-(2-oxopropyl) benzoic acid was smoothly cyclodehydrated to ...
