Conversion of sabinene to phellandral via p-menthane-1,2,7-triol

The essential oil of the seeds of Zanthoxylum rhetsa DC, which contains 72.7% sabinene, after treatment with peracetic acid has been analysed by GC and GC-MS. Twenty three compounds have been identified with p-menthane-1,2,7-triol (36.65%), as the major constituent. The triol on heating with 50% H 3 PO 4 forms phellandral (p-menthane-1-en-7-al).