Synthesis and antiviral properties of some polyphenols related to Salvia genus

An efficient synthesis of the acid part of salvianolic acid E 2 is described. Compound 2 was obtained from vanillin in 10 steps and 21% overall yield. During the synthesis of 2 an unexpected 5-oxo-4b,9b-dihydroindano[1,2-b]benzofuran rac-12 was isolated. Both compounds together with the acid part of salvianolic acid D were active as HIV-1 integrase inhibitors at the submicromolar level. But they did not inhibit the replication of the virus on MT-4 cells.