Synthesis of cannabidiols via alkenylation of cyclohexenyl monoacetate.

[reaction: see text] Because of the lack of potency binding to the receptors responsible for psychoactivity, cannabidiol has received much attention as a lead compound to develop a nonpsychotropic drug. Herein, we establish a method to access not only cannabidiol but also its analogues. The key reaction is nickel-catalyzed allylation of 2-cyclohexene-1,4-diol monoacetate with a new reagent, (alkenyl)ZnCl/TMEDA, which gives a S(N)2-type product with 94% regioselectivity in good yield.