Total Synthesis of Norditerpene Alcohols

The plant Thuja Plicate Donn which is known under the name of western red cedar has been concern to chemical study owing to its medical and industrial importance.¹ Extensive chemical investigations aiming to identify its constituents resulted the isolation of terpenes, essential oils, antibiotics and antifungal compounds.² Few years ago the Canadian chemists isolated two norditerpene alcohols 1 and 2 from the bark of western cedar.³ The present communication documents our approach to the synthesis of alcohols 1 and 2.