Monoterpenes, comprising hydrocarbons, are the largest class of plant secondary metabolites and are commonly found in essential oils. Monoterpenes and their derivatives are key ingredients in the design and production of new biologically active compounds. This review focuses on selected aliphatic, monocyclic, and bicyclic monoterpenes like geraniol, thymol, myrtenal, pinene, camphor, borneol, and their modified structures. The compounds in question play a pivotal role in biological and medical applications. The review also discusses anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticonvulsant, analgesic, antiviral, anticancer, antituberculosis, and antioxidant biological activities exhibited by monoterpenes and their derivatives. Particular attention is paid to the link between biological activity and the effect of structural modification of monoterpenes and monoterpenoids, as well as the introduction of various functionalized moieties into the molecules in question.
A high yielding synthesis of optically active 3,5-disubstituted salicylidene β-amino alcohols (6) is described. The catalytic use of D or L- N-(3-phenyl-5-nitrosalicylidene)valinol in enantioselective sulfoxidation (H2O2 / VO(acac)2) gives up to 95% e.e. Asymmetric conjugate addition of thiophenol to 2-cyclohexen-1-one catalysed by Ti(OPr- i)4 and 6 leads to maximum 31% e.e. in the product.
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