Abstract Racemic 2-isopropyl-2-methylhex-5-enal has been synthesised in order to probe ene cyclisations leading to menthol analogues. The objective was first to discover catalytic conditions for preferential cyclisation to the menthol rather than the neomenthol series and then to develop (dynamic) kinetic resolution procedures which afforded a single enantiomer of product. It was found that catalytic quantities of both Me 2 AlCl and a bulky ...
