6331. β-Myrcene

Nomenclature

CAS number: 123-35-3
7-Methyl-3-methylene-1,6-octadiene; 2-methyl-6-methylene-2,7-octadiene.
C10H16; mol wt 136.23.
C 88.16%, H 11.84%.

Description and references

Found in oil of bay, verbena, hop, and others. Isoln: Power, Kleber, Pharm. Rundsch. 13, 60 (1895); see also Ruzicka, Stoll, Helv. Chim. Acta 7, 272 (1924); Goulding, Roberts, J. Chem. Soc. 105, 2614 (1914); Booker et al., ibid. 1940, 1453; Kugler, Kováts, Helv. Chim. Acta 46, 1480 (1963). Obtained by pyrolysis of β-pinene: Goldblatt, Palkin, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 63, 3517 (1941); Rummelsburg, US 2444790 (1948 to Hercules Powder); Houlihan et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 81, 4692 (1959). Separation of isomers: Ohloff et al., Ann. 675, 83 (1964). Synthesis: O. P. Vig et al., Indian J. Chem. 7, 450 (1969); 11, 104 (1973); 13, 1244 (1975); T. Mandai et al., Tetrahedron Lett. 22, 763 (1981). Formation from isoprene: K. Takabe et al., Synthesis 1977, 307.

Chemical structure

Properties

Oil. Pleasant odor. d420 0.794. nD20 1.4709. uv max (ethanol): 226 nm (ε 16,100). Practically insol in water. Sol in alcohol, chloroform, ether, glacial acetic acid.

Derivative

α-Myrcene.

Nomenclature

2-Methyl-6-methylene-1,7-octadiene.

Properties

bp10 44°. nD25 1.4661. d2525 0.7959. uv max (isooctane): 224.5 nm (ε 18,600). Not found in nature. Prepn: Mitzner et al., J. Org. Chem. 30, 646 (1965); Vig et al., J. Indian Chem. Soc. 50, 329 (1973).

Use

β-Myrcene as an intermediate in the manuf of perfume chemicals.