FRAGRANT SESQUITERPENES FROM AGARWOOD

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0031-9422(93)85039-T

Two new sesquiterpene aldehydes, (-)-selina-3,11-dien-14-al and (+)-selina-4,11-dien-14-al, methyl ester derivatives of three new sesquiterpene carboxylic acids, (-)-methyl selina-3,11-dien-14-oate, (+)-methyl selina-4,11-dien-14-oate, and (+)-methyl 9-hydroxyselina-4,11-dien-14-oate, and a new nor-sesquiterpene ketone, (+)-1,5-epoxy-nor-ketoguaiene, have been isolated from Aquilaria agallocha (agarwood).Their structures have been established on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analyses and synthesis.The occurrences of dehydrojinkoh-eremol and neopetasane in agarwood were also confirmed by comparison of their mass spectral data and R_t on capillary GC with those of synthesized samples.The odoriferous properties of some natural and synthesized sesquiterpenes are also described. Key Word Index: Aquilaria agallocha; Thymelaeceae; agarwood; sesquiterpenes; (-)-selina-3,11-dien-14-al; (+)-selina-4,11-dien-14-al; selina-3,11-dien-14-oic acid; selina-4,11-dien-14-oic acid; 9-hydroxyselina-4,11-dien-14-oic acid; (+)-1,5-epoxy-nor-ketoguaiene; dehydrojinkoh-eremol; neopetasane.