Borneol is a bicyclic organic compound and a terpene. The hydroxyl group in this compound is placed in an endo position. There are two different enantiomers of borneol. Both d-(+)-borneol and l-(–)-borneol are found in nature.
Uses.
Whereas d-borneol was the enantiomer that formerly was the most readily available commercially, the currently more commercially available enantiomer is l-borneol, which also occurs in nature.
Borneol is used in traditional Chinese medicine as moxa. An early description is found in the Bencao Gangmu.
Borneol is a component of many essential oils,[4] and it is a natural insect repellent.[5]
Use in organic chemistry.
Derivatives of isoborneol are used as chiral ligands in asymmetric synthesis:
(2S)-(−)-3-exo-(morpholino)isoborneol or MIB[6] with a morpholine substituent in the α-hydroxyl position.
(2S)-(−)-3-exo-(dimethylamino)isoborneol or DAIB[7] with a dimethylamino substituent in the α-hydroxyl position.