Chemical Studies on Ambergris

Part II. The Thermal Decomposition and Oxidation Products of Ambrein-terahydropyranylether

Abstract

Ambrein (I), a major constituent of ambergris, was easily converted to ambrein-tetrahydropyranylether (II), of which thermal decomposition gave back ambrein (I). The tetrahydropyranylether (II) was oxidized to ambreinolal-tetrahydropyranylether (V) in two steps. Ambreinolal-tetrahydropyranylether (V) was synthesized from ambreinolol (VII) in four steps and converted to the C₁₇-unsaturated oxide (VI) on heating.