Fragrant sesquiterpenes from agarwood

Two new sesquiterpene aldehydes, (−)-selina-3,11-dien-14-al and (+)-selina-4,11-dien-14-al, methyl ester derivatives of three new sesquiterpene carboxylic acids, (−)-methyl selina-3,11-dien-14-oate, (+)-methyl selina-4.11-dien-14-oate, and (+)-methyl 9-hydroxyselina-4,11-dien-14-oate, and a new nor-sesquiterpene ketone, (+)-1,5-epoxy-nor-ketoguaiene, have been isolated from Aquilaria agallocha (agarwood). Their structures have been established on the bases of detailed spectroscopic analyses and synthesis. The occurrences of dehydrojinkoh-eremol and neopetasane in agarwood were also confirmed by comparison of their mass spectral data and Rinn, on capillary GC with those of synthesized samples. The odoriferous properties of some natural and synthesized sesquiterpenes are also described.