Investigation of Synthetic Strategies for the Full Synthesis of a Homologue of the Hop α-Acid, α-Humulone

Burkes, Robert Matthew

Investigation of Synthetic Strategies for the Full Synthesis of a Homologue of the Hop α-Acid, α-Humulone

Persistent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/10456/8010

Author(s)

Burkes, Robert Matthew

Date Issued

April 7, 2009

Abstract

Over the past few years, there has been a noted increase food prices. Because of this, the brewing industry has been affected by the rising price of hops (Humulus lupulus), which contain α-acids, known as α-humulones 1. A versatile molecule in the pharmaceutical arena, when α-humulone isomerizes during the brewing process, it rearranges to the beer bittering agent, iso-α-humulone 2. Because of improved analytical techniques used in the extraction of α-humulone 1 from the hop cone, attempted syntheses of α-humulone ceased in the late 1950’s. As a result of the current economic times, we seek to integrate techniques from the historic syntheses of α-humulone 6 with more modern techniques to devise a contemporary synthesis of an α-humulone homologue 10.

First Reader(s)

Persichini, Phillip J.