Synthesis of (<img src='/image/spc_char/plus_min.gif' border=0>)-7,8- and 5,6-dimethyl-2-(2-hydroxyisopropyl) tetralins

752-7567,8-Dimethyl-1-tetralone 4 on sodium borohydride reduction followed by Vilsmeier-Haack reaction furnishes 7,8-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2-naphthaldehyde 10. Reduction of 10 followed by oxidation with Jones reagent yields 7,8-dimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2-naphthoic acid 12 which on treatment with excess of methyllithium affords 7,8-dimethyl-2-(2 -hydroxyisopropyl) tetralin 2. 5,6-dimethyl-1-tetralone 5 is converted into the 5,6-dimethyl-2-(2-hydroxyisopropyl)tetralin 3 by following similar set of reactions as described above