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.
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
Definition
ChEBI: Ambronide is a naphthofuran.
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).
