The role of germacrene D as a precursor in sesquiterpene biosynthesis: investigations of acid catalyzed, photochemically and thermally induced rearrangements

Germacrene D is considered as a precursor of many sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. We have investigated the acid catalyzed as well as the photochemically and thermally induced rearrangement processes of germacrene D isolated from several Solidago species, which contain both enantiomers of germacrene D. Enantiomeric mixtures of sesquiterpenes of the cadinane, eudesmane (selinane), oppositane, axane, isodaucane, and bourbonane group as well as isogermacrene D were identified as main products and made available as reference compounds for structure investigations and stereochemical assignments of plant constituents. δ-Amorphene, one of the rearrangement products, was identified as a natural product for the first time. The absolute configuration of γ-amorphene was revised by correlation with the absolute configuration of germacrene D. The mechanisms of the rearrangement reactions are discussed.