An Effective System to Synthesize Hypolipidemic Active α-Asarone and Related Methoxylated (E)-Arylalkenes

Methoxylated (E)-arylalkenes (la-lk) were prepared in two steps by an improved Grignard reaction comprising the reverse addition of alkylmagnesium bromide to benzaldehydes (2a-2k) in anhydrous ether and toluene into arylalkanols (3a-3k) in high yield, followed by dehydration with silica gel under microwave irradiation for 3-12 min, depending upon the substituents attached to the aromatic ring to afford hypolipidemic active α-asarone (la) and related methoxylated (E)-arylalkenes (16-1k).