BETA-CYCLODEXTRIN AND ITS DERIVATIVES MEDIATE SELECTIVITY IN REDUCTION OF (R)-(-PULEGONE WITH SODIUM DITHIONITE())

Pulegone is reduced in two stages by sodium dithionite - first to ment hone and later to epimeric menthols. The presence of beta-cyclodextrin (BCD) and its derivatives resulted in more of the alcohols being form ed. While the double bond was reduced predominantly in water, the keto ne moiety was also reduced in a water-DMF mixture. A small percentage of menthone remained relatively unaffected in water-DMF even in the pr esence of BCD and its derivatives. Although no unreacted pulegone coul d be detected, exclusive alcohol formation was also not observed. Redu ction of the double bond was found to be faster than that of the keton e.