Nitration versus Nitrosation Chemistry of Menthofuran: Remarkable Fragmentation and Dimerization Pathways and Expeditious Entry into Dehydromenthofurolactone
The reaction chemistry of menthofuran (1), a toxic furan terpenoid from various mint oils, with nitric acid and nitrous acid has been investigated. Treatment of 1 with nitric acid afforded a 1:1 mixture of the bisfuran derivatives 5 and 6, resulting from the unexpected cleavage of the furan into two carbonyl fragments (3-methylcyclohexanone and hydroxyacetone) and their subsequent trapping by unreacted