Abstract: A process for separating at least one tertiary alcohol from at least one secondary alcohol from pine oil, the process comprising: reacting the pine oil comprising the at least one secondary alcohol and the at least one tertiary alcohol with at least one C3-C30 carboxylic acid ester, and at least one base, wherein the secondary alcohol is esterified to produce at least one secondary ester, with the proviso that the base is not a hydroxide; and separating the tertiary alcohol from the secondary ester.

Abstract: A process for making trans-isocarveol, an intermediate useful in the manufacture of perillyl alcohol, is disclosed. The process comprises isomerizing a mixture comprising cis-limonene oxide (cis-LMO) and trans-limonene oxide (trans-LMO) in the presence of a phenolic modifier and a chromium catalyst. The process is performed at a temperature less than 220° C. to convert more than 50% of the cis-LMO to trans-isocarveol and less than 50% of the trans-LMO to cis-isocarveol. We surprisingly found that a mixture of cis- and trans-LMO can be selectively isomerized to produce mostly trans-isocarveol, which we discovered is the preferred isomer for making perillyl alcohol by direct isomerization.

Abstract: A process for preparing at least one alicyclic carboxylic acid compound by Grignard reaction, the process comprising: reacting magnesium and at least one alicyclic halide compound in at least one solvent to produce at least one alicyclic Grignard reagent; concurrently adding carbon dioxide to the magnesium, the alicyclic halide compound, the solvent, and the alicyclic Grignard reagent, while the alicyclic Grignard reagent is still being produced, to form at least one alicyclic carboxylate magnesium salt; and hydrolyzing the alicyclic carboxylate magnesium salt to form the alicyclic carboxylic acid compound; wherein the alicyclic Grignard reagent and the alicyclic carboxylate magnesium salt are prepared in a one-pot synthesis.