Microbiologically-assisted hemisynthesis of 1a-hydroxydrimenol

Abstract : The hemisynthesis of 1a-hydroxydrimenol has been selected to illustrate a synthetic route involving an initial microbial 3ß-hydroxylation of a drimenol derivative followed by a functionalization transfer to position 1a, thus generating a new potentially bioactive hydroxylated terpenic compound. Several methods have been investigated for the protection and the regeneration of the 7,8-double bond of drimenyl derivatives. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.