110. The Synthesis of Racemic Ambrox

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/hlca.19890720517

(+/-)-Ambrox (10), the racemic form of (-)-Ambrox^<*>, the commercially most important ambergris odorant has been synthesized from a readily available bicyclic keto ester in five steps.The racemic ether retains the characteristic scent of fine-quality ambergris, and the odor threshold of the racemate and the (-)-enantiomer prepared from natural sclareol found to be essentially identical.