Abstract 2, 2, 5, 5-Tetramethylcyclohexane-1, 3-dione is a valuable starting-material precursor of cis-chrysanthemic acid. The (1S)-stereoisomer is a precursor of pyrethrin I, the most active natural insecticide from Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium, whereas the (1R)- stereoisomer is efficiently transformed to deltamethrin, the most active commercially available pyrethroid insecticide. Several intermediates have been identified and used with ...