Synthesis of Methylophiopogonanone A

Ophiopogon Root (root of Ophiopogon japonicus Ker-Gawler, Liliaceae) is a crude drug used as expectorant, anti-cough and tonic in Kampo medicine (traditional Japanese medicine) as well as other traditional medicines of Asian countries. It contains characteristic homoisoflavonoids with methylated ring A. We synthesized methylophiopogonanone A (1), which is a candidate marker compound for identification test of Ophiopogon Root, from phloroglucinol in 9 steps with overall yield of 11.1%.