, Dx= 1.14 Mg m -3, F(000) = 736, g(Mo K~t) = 0.09 mm -~, room temperature. The structures were solved by direct methods and refined to R = 0.041 for tanacetol A and to R = 0.046 for tanacetol B acetate using, respectively, 1088 and 1594 unique reflexions. Both ten-membered rings show a C(1)-C(10) trans double bond and present the energetically less favoured boat-chair conformation. The C(14) methyl and the C(15) methene are syn and on the a face of the rings; the oxygen of the keto group in tanacetol A is on the fl face whereas the C(5) acetyl group in tanacetol B acetate is on the a face.