(+)-Camphor reacts in basic media, with N-sulfinylaniline to give, in
good yields, dicamphoquinone, which is hydrogenated to dicamphor. Crys
tals of dicamphor (C20H30O2) belong to space group P2(1), with a = 6.9
20(1) angstrom, b = 11.207(1) angstrom, c = 11.516(1) angstrom, beta =
99.62(1)0, z = 2, T = 293 K. The final R is 0.044 for 1113 observed r
eflections. The cohesion of the crystal is the result of van der Waals
interactions. The two camphor moieties in this 1.4-diketone are locat
ed in chiral positions with respect to each other. The two carbonyl gr
oups form a right handed helix.The Circular Dicroism (CD) spectrum exh
ibits two Cotton effects of opposite sign and equal intensities in the
region of n --> pi transition: positive at longer wavelength and neg
ative at shorter wavelength. The nature of CD is discussed.