Chemical Properties
3a,6,6,9a-Tetramethyldodecahydronaphtho[2,1-b]furan is a crystalline autoxidation product of
ambrein with a typical ambergris odor. It is prepared
from (?)-sclareol, a diterpene alcohol obtained from extraction of clary sage
plants. Oxidative degradation to a lactone (“sclareolide”),
hydrogenation of the latter to the corresponding diol, and dehydration yield the
title compound.
Occurrence
Reported found in clary sage oil.
Definition
ChEBI: Ambronide is a naphthofuran.
Preparation
Racemic sclareolide can be prepared by cyclization of homofarnesic acid in the
presence of SnCl4 as a catalyst . Pure diastereomers are obtained by acid
cyclization of (E)- and (Z)-4-methyl-6-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-l(2)-enyl)-3-
hexen-1-ol, prepared from 2-methyl-4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-l(2)-enyl)-2-
butenal [394]. If the racemic sclareolide mixture is resolved into its enantiomers,
the (–)-oxide may also be obtained by a totally synthetic route
Trade name
Compound starting from natural sclareol: Ambermore,
Ambermore-DL, Ambermore-EX (Aromor), Ambrox® Super (Firmenich),
Ambroxan® (Kao), Ambroxide (Symrise); compound starting from homofarnesic
acid derivatives: Ambrox® DL (Firmenich); compound starting from 2-methyl-
4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-l(2)enyl)-2-butenal: Cetalox® (Firmenich), Cetalor
(Aromor).
