A short synthesis of racemic Sacidumlignan B was achieved for the first time. The key steps included a formal reductive coupling between the diaryl ketone and the crotyl bromide, and the subsequent Friedel-Crafts cyclization, which led to an efficient construction of dihydronaphthalene skeleton in this 2,7'-cyclolignan natural product.
Keywords: Barbier reaction; cyclization; cyclolignan; synthetic efficiency; total synthesis.