Drimenol: A versatile synthon for compounds with trans-drimane skeleton
Manuel Cortés1, Virginia Delgado, Claudio Saitz
1Departamento de Química Orgánica. Facultad de Química, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 7820436, Santiago, Chile.
This review details drimenol synthesis and its use as a chiral building block for drimane-type sesquiterpenes. It covers isolation, configuration, and various synthetic strategies, including biomimetic approaches.
Area of Science:
- Natural Product Chemistry
- Organic Synthesis
- Medicinal Chemistry
Background:
- Drimenol and related drimane-type sesquiterpenes are important natural products.
- Previous reviews have covered sesquiterpenes broadly, but not exclusively drimenol.
- Drimenol serves as a key synthon in synthesizing complex molecules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide the first comprehensive review focused solely on drimenol.
- To summarize synthetic routes for racemic and enantiopure drimenol.
- To highlight drimenol's role as a versatile synthon for drimane derivatives.
Main Methods:
- Review of published literature on drimenol synthesis and isolation.
- Analysis of synthetic strategies, including total synthesis and use of natural (-)-drimenol.
- Examination of biomimetic cyclization and microbiological functionalization methods.
Main Results:
- Compilation of synthetic routes to racemic and (-)-drimenol, including historical isolation and configuration determination.
- Overview of synthetic pathways utilizing (-)-drimenol as a chiral synthon.
- Discussion of total syntheses and biomimetic approaches starting from trans-farnesol.
Conclusions:
- Drimenol is a pivotal compound in the synthesis of drimane-type sesquiterpenes.
- Diverse synthetic methodologies exist for accessing drimenol and its derivatives.
- This review consolidates knowledge on drimenol, facilitating future research in natural product synthesis.
Related Concept Videos
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...
[4+2] Cycloaddition of Conjugated Dienes: Diels–Alder Reaction
Preparation of Diols and Pinacol Rearrangement
The reaction begins with transferring a proton from the acid catalyst to one of the hydroxyl groups, producing an oxonium ion.
Diels–Alder Reaction: Characteristics of Dienes
Characteristics of the diene
Conformation
The simplest example of a diene is 1,3-butadiene, an acyclic conjugated π system. At room temperature, the molecule exists as a mixture of s-cis and s-trans conformers by virtue of rotation around the carbon–carbon single bond. Although the s-trans isomer is more stable, the...
[3,3] Sigmatropic Rearrangement of 1,5-Dienes: Cope Rearrangement
Intramolecular Aldol Reaction

![Solid-phase Synthesis of [4.4] Spirocyclic Oximes](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F58508.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
