Sesquiterpene alcohols from Cryptomeria japonica and C. fortunei leaf oil

Abstract 4β-Hydroxygermacra-1(10),5-diene, thujopsan-2α,-ol and hedycaryol were found in the leaf oil of Cryptomeria japonica obtained by hexane extraction. Both the first and last were present in all races of C. japonica native in Kyushu main island, but thujopsan-2α-ol was found in about one-third and not found in C. fortunei so far examined. Moreover, some C. fortunei lacked 4β-hydroxygermacra-1(10),5-diene. On the other hand some contained only this as sesquiterpene alcohol. When the leaves were steam-distilled, 4β-hydroxygermacra-1(10),5-diene isomerized to α-cadinol and hedycaryol isomerized to elemol and eudesmols. Thujopsan-2α-ol was synthesized from mayurone.