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Molecular Rearrangements During Terpene Syntheses

Ajoy K. Banerjee,^a^,* William J. Vera,^a Henry Mora,^a Manuel Laya,^a Liadis Bedoya,^a Carlos Melean,^a PO. S. Poon NG,^a and Elvia V. Cabrera^b^a IVIC, Centro de Química, Apartado 21827, Caracas 1020-A, Venezuela. E-mail: abanerje@ivic.ve
^b Universidad del Zulia, Departamento de Química, Facultad Experimental de Ciencias, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Abstract
Rearrangements of several organic compounds with acids, iodine, boron trifluoride etherate, thionyl chloride-pyridine, manganese(III) acetate and silicon dioxide have been discussed. These rearrangements were observed during our studies on the synthesis of natural products related to diterpenes and triterpenes. The mechanism of these molecular rearrangements has been suggested in order to explain the formation of the obtained structures.

Key words: rearrangement, terpenes, natural products