beta-ionone and alpha-pinene oxides 1, 3 isomerize rapidly and selecti
vely to 1,2,2-trimethylcyclopent-1-yl)-pent-2-en-1.4-dione 2 and the i
ndustrially important 2,2,3-trimethyl-3-cyclopentene acetaldehyde 4. u
nder the influence of catalytic amounts of aminium salts A,B. In order
to find insights into the mechanism of our procedure, protic and Lewi
s acids-catalyzed rearrangements have also been reconsidered.