Take benzene convert to toluene. Convert toluene to benzyl bromide, attach to acetone via a grinnard reaction, eliminate the alcohol group to give water and an alkene, then react with hydrogen in platinium to give alkane, this will give you the alkylbenzene of the compound. Electron donating group going in first. Now react the alkylbenzene with acetylaldehyde, add HCl grinnard again with magnesium, finally add carbon dioxide and water to give target. No dangerous chemicals needed and can be done in a school or university lab under teacher supervision.
