Structure and Absolute Configuration of β-Kessyl Ketone and β-Kessyl Alcohol

Abstract

β-Kessyl ketone obtained by acid-catalyzed isomerization of α-kessyl ketone (II) has been converted into the known β-kessyl alcohol which has been dehydrogenated to give Sguaiazulene (V). From chemical and physical evidence on a number of their derivatives, structures III and IV (R=H) are proposed for β-kessyl ketone and β-kessyl alcohol, respectively.