A solution of (3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)methyltriphenylphosphonium bromide (4.93 g, 10.0 mmol, 1.0 equiv.) in THF (10 mL), was cooled to 0° C. After adding n-BuLi (1.6 M in hexanes, 6.3 mL, 10.0 mmol, 1.0 equiv.) at 0° C., the red suspension was stirred at 0° C. for 20 min. 3-(3-Isopropylphenyl)butanal (2.09 g, 11.0 mmol, 1.1 equiv.) in THF (11 mL) was added, and the mixture was stirred at 0° C.→25° C. for 16 h. After addition of H2O at 25° C., the aqueous layer was extracted with hexanes (2×), the combined organic phases were dried (MgSO4), filtered and the filtrate was concentrated. The residue was purified by flash chromatography on SiO2 (hexanes/EtOAc 99:1→4:1) to yield 2.67 g (82%) of the title compound as a colorless oil.
