The present invention provides a process for purifying a monoterpene or sesquiterpene having a purity greater than about 98.5% (w/w). The process comprises the steps of derivatizing the monoterpene (or sesquiterpene) to produce a monoterpene (or sesquiterpene) derivative, separating the monoterpene (or sesquiterpene) derivative, and releasing the monoterpene (or sesquiterpene) from the derivative. Also encompassed by the scope of the present invention is a pharmaceutical composition comprising a monoterpene (or sesquiterpene) having a purity greater than about 98.5% (w/w). The purified monoterpene can be used to treat a disease such as cancer. The present monoterpene (or sesquiterpene) may be administered alone, or may be co-administered with radiation or other therapeutic agents, such as chemotherapeutic agents.

The invention disclosed herein relates to an enantioselective process for preparation of biologically active (R) and (S) enantiomers of sex pheromones of the long-tailed Mealybug with high enantiopurity having significant biological activity. Further, the invention provides absolute configuration of synthesized R and S enantiomers.(I) ##STR00001##

The invention disclosed herein relates to an enantioselective process for preparation of biologically active (R) and (S) enantiomers of sex pheromones of the long-tailed Mealybug with high enantiopurity having significant biological activity. Further, the invention provides absolute configuration of synthesized R and S enantiomers.(I) ##STR00001##

The invention disclosed herein relates to an enantioselective process for preparation of biologically active (R) and (S) enantiomers of sex pheromones of the long-tailed Mealybug with high enantiopurity having significant biological activity. Further, the invention provides absolute configuration of synthesized R and S enantiomers.(I) ##STR00001##

The disclosure relates to methods for separating mixtures of polyols, in particular mixtures of two of more different vicinal diols having close boiling points, thus making them difficult or impossible to separate using conventional distillation techniques. The polyol mixture is reacted with an aldehyde or ketone acetalization agent to form one or more acetals as corresponding acetalization reaction products. The acetalization reaction products are more easily separable either from each other (such as via distillation) or from an unreacted vicinal diol (such as via extraction, settling, or other phase separation). After separation, hydrolysis is performed on the acetalization reaction products to recover the vicinal diols as separate, purified components. The methods provide cost-effective processes for separating different polyols originally formed in admixture.

The disclosure relates to methods for separating mixtures of polyols, in particular mixtures of two of more different vicinal diols having close boiling points, thus making them difficult or impossible to separate using conventional distillation techniques. The polyol mixture is reacted with an aldehyde or ketone acetalization agent to form one or more acetals as corresponding acetalization reaction products. The acetalization reaction products are more easily separable either from each other (such as via distillation) or from an unreacted vicinal diol (such as via extraction, settling, or other phase separation). After separation, hydrolysis is performed on the acetalization reaction products to recover the vicinal diols as separate, purified components. The methods provide cost-effective processes for separating different polyols originally formed in admixture.