Process for synthesis of polyphenols

A process for the preparation of compounds of Formula (I)

• or enantiomers, diastereomers or mixtures thereof, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein;
• Y is selected from the group consisting of H and OR6;
• R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, acetyl, allyl, propargyl, benzyl, 2-fluoroethyl, 4-nitrobenzyl, 4-chlorobenzyl, 4-methoxybenzyl, 4-methoxybenzonitrile, cinnamyl, but-2-en-1-yl, 2-penten-1-yl, 1-trimethylsilyl-prop-1-yn-3-yl, 2-octyne-1-yl, 2-butyne-1-yl, 2-picolyl, 3-picolyl, 4-picolyl, quinolin-4-yl-methyl, oxiranylmethyl, fluoromethyl, nitromethyl, methoxycarbonylmethyl, methoxymethyl, 1-phenylethanone-2-yl, 2-butanone-1-yl, chloromethyl, phenyl sulfonylmethyl, 1-bromo-prop-1-en-3-yl, t-butyl, methyl, ethyl, trimethylsilyl, and t-butyldiphenylsilylethyl;
• said process comprising the steps of:
• i. protecting the hydroxyl groups of a compound of Formula (II) with one or more protecting groups, to give a compound of Formula (III)
• ii. treating said compound of Formula (III) with a reducing agent to produce a compound selected from the group of Formula (IV), Formula (V) and Formula (VI), wherein X is selected from halide, acetate, trifloroacetate, methanesulfonate, and hydroxyl;
• and
• iii. treating a compound selected from the group of Formula (IV), Formula (V) and Formula (VI) with a reducing agent to produce a compound of Formula (I).