An improved method has been developed for the synthesis of honokiol using a readily available p-bromophenol as a precursor. The key step involved in this method is ortho-lithiation facilitated by methoxymethyl ether (MOM). Other important steps are ortho-allyl phenyl ether Claisenrearrangement and a Suzuki coupling for the construction of biaryls. This method does not require pre-functionalization