The present invention relates to a process for carbonylating allyl alcohols at low temperature, low pressure and/or low catalyst loading. In an alternative embodiment, an acylation product of the allyl alcohol is used for the carbonylation. The present invention likewise relates to the preparation of conversion products of these carbonylation products and specifically of ()-ambrox.

The present invention relates to the use as perfuming ingredient, in particular to confer odor notes of the violet, violet leaves type, of a compound of formula (I), wherein n represents 1 or 2, A represents CH.sub.2 or CO; and R represents a C.sub.1-4 alkyl or alkenyl group or a C.sub.3 cycloalkyl group, or when A is a CH.sub.2 group R may also represent a C.sub.1-3 acyl group. Moreover, following what is mentioned herein, the present invention comprises the invention's compound as part of a perfuming composition or of a perfuming consumer product. ##STR00001##

The present invention relates to the use as perfuming ingredient, in particular to confer odor notes of the violet, violet leaves type, of a compound of formula (I), wherein n represents 1 or 2, A represents CH.sub.2 or CO; and R represents a C.sub.1-4 alkyl or alkenyl group or a C.sub.3 cycloalkyl group, or when A is a CH.sub.2 group R may also represent a C.sub.1-3 acyl group. Moreover, following what is mentioned herein, the present invention comprises the invention's compound as part of a perfuming composition or of a perfuming consumer product. ##STR00001##

The present invention provides an intestinal tract-protecting agent, an agent for the prophylaxis or improvement of a disease caused by damage in intestinal tract barrier function, which contains hydroxylated fatty acid, particularly hydroxylated unsaturated fatty acid, having a hydroxyl group at the 10-position and/or the 12-position, which is an intermediate of the metabolism of unsaturated fatty acid by lactobacillus.

The present invention provides: an assay method that uses a compound represented by formula (I) as a fluorescent probe molecule and that is for detecting the lipid peroxidation suppression activity of a test compound; an assay kit that uses the assay method; a screening method that uses the assay method; and a pharmaceutical composition that is for the treatment, etc. of diseases (such as age-related macular degeneration) that are induced by lipid peroxidation reactions. ##STR00001##

The present invention provides: an assay method that uses a compound represented by formula (I) as a fluorescent probe molecule and that is for detecting the lipid peroxidation suppression activity of a test compound; an assay kit that uses the assay method; a screening method that uses the assay method; and a pharmaceutical composition that is for the treatment, etc. of diseases (such as age-related macular degeneration) that are induced by lipid peroxidation reactions. ##STR00001##