A practical total synthesis of wedelolactone

Wedelolactone, a benzofuran based natural product that can be isolated from Eclipta prostrata, exhibits a variety of biological activities. It is inefficient to obtain wedelolactone from natural sources, so it is of great significance to perform total synthesis study on this important compound. In the current study, a novel total synthesis of wedelolactone featuring palladium-catalyzed Suzuki coupling and acid-promoted intramolecular transesterification was discovered. In comparison with those reported total synthesis routes, the current strategy is more convenient and efficient, and can be used as a potential route for large scale production.