aReagents and Conditions: (i) NBS, CCl4; (ii) KCN, EtOH; (iii) 1,2 dibromoethane for 9a or CH3CH2I for 9b, NaOH, toluene-H2O; (iv) NaOH, MeOH, 100 °C; (v) R1B(OH)2, Pd(OAc)2, Na2CO3, TBAB, H2O, 120 °C; (vi) NFSi, t-BuLi, THF, −78 °C; (vii) K2CO3, DMSO, H2O2, 0 °C yields 16a–b & 17a–b, or H2SO4 (49 %) 90 °C to give 18a–b; viii) K2CO3, DMSO, H2O2, 0 °C; ix) CH3CH2Br, NaOH, toluene-H2O; x) LiOH, THF/H2O/MeOH, 0 °C.