Abstract Under the conditions of the Wharton reaction, the (±)-epoxy-γ-dihydroionones 2 and 3 are transformed into the allylic alcohols 4–10. γ-Damascols 4, 5 and 8 were oxidised to cis- and trans-γ-damascone 12 and 13. Alternatively, dehydro-γ-damascol 18 was obtained by Wittig rearrangement of butinyl ether 17, and converted into damascones 12 and 13.
