Efficient ortho-oxidation of phenol and synthesis of anti-MRSA and anti-VRE compound abietaquinone methide from dehydroabietic acid.

A quinone methide diterpene: abietaquinone methide, which possesses potent anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and anti-vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) activities, was synthesized via efficiently ortho-oxidation of ferruginol derived from industrially available dehydroabietic acid. ortho-Oxidation of phenols was developed to give mono esters of catechols using a stable diacyl peroxide, bis(4-chlorobenzoyl) peroxide (m-chlorobenzoyl peroxide: mCBPO) which was synthesized from meta-chlorobenzoic acid. Efficient one pot ortho-oxidation reaction of phenol with an adduct of meta-chloroperbenzoic acid (mCPBA) with dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) was also reported.