arenes and 2,2-dimethylchromans using a Friedel–Crafts-type coupling between activated arenes and isoprene is reported. A combination of catalytic amounts of FeCl3 and AgBF4 promotes a regioselective prenylation event followed by a cyclization to form a 2,2-dimethylchroman structure. The method avoids isoprene polymerization and allows the facile late-stage derivatization of biologically active motifs.
Alicyclic ketone and alcohol derivatives having the structure: ##STR1## wherein the dotted line represents a carbon-carbon double bond or a carbon-carbon single bond; wherein Z is ##STR2## and wherein each of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, and R.sub.5 is hydrogen or lower alkyl are useful as odor-modifying ingredients in perfumes and perfumed products and as flavor-modifying ingredients in foodstuffs and tobacco products. These derivatives may be prepared from substituted phenols having the structure: ##STR3##