Products from the Oxidation of Various p-Menthadienes under an Oxygen Plasma Discharge

Studies on the Reaction of Terpenes Using an Oxygen Plasma Discharge. II

Abstract

The oxidation of 4 R- (+) -1, 8-ρ-menthadiene (1), 1, 3-p-menthadiene (2) and 1, 4-p-menthadiene (3) under oxygen plasma discharge was investigated.
The following results were obtained :
(-) -Menthone (5) was the major product from (1). Carvomenthone (12) was the major product from (2). Trans-4-p-menthen-2-ol (14) was obtained from (3) as the main product, amounting to 94% of the oxidation products under the best conditions.
These results differed from those by the conventional oxidation process.