Abstract
The structure of α-vetivone, one of the major odoriferous principles of vetiver oil had previously been accepted as being represented by Ia. Air oxidation of α-vetivone in the presence of 1N t-butoxide yielded, after treatment with p-toluenesulphonic acid, a conjugated dienedione VII. The enantiomeric compound was prepared, by oxidation, from the structurally well-established eremophilone XII, thus requiring that the structure of α-vetivone be revised to II. Some interesting observations were made with regards ORD and CD measurements in comparison with curves obtained from cholest-4-en-3-one. Biogenetic relationships between some related compounds are also discussed.
