Synthesis of 1.3 Dioxans Related with Ambergris

Abstract
An improved preparation of the odoriferous acetal (4aR, 6aS, 10aS, 10bR)-4a,7,7,10a-tetramethylper-hydronaphtho[2, 1-d] [1, 3] dioxin (4) and related products are described. The synthesis of 4 is accomplished in six steps, starting with the readily available sesquiterpene (-)-drimenol (5) (overall yield 19.1%).