Absolute stereochemistry of mukulol, a diterpene alcohol, is established by chemical correlation with cembrene-A and (+)-cis-piperitol. Synthesis of (+)-cis-piperitol and (−)-trans-piperitol from (+)-Δ2-carene is described. Δ2-Carene oxide on exposure to silica gel passes into cis Δ2-p-menthen-1,8-diol.
The structures and absolute configurations of three cembranoids, 10-oxo-, 10-hydroxy-, and 10-methoxycembrenes, isolated from the soft coral Sarcophyta elegans, are reported.