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Isoprene is selectively dimerized to 1,5‐dimethyl‐1,5‐cyclooctadiene by the catalyst composed of nickel naphthenate, triethylaluminium and tri‐o‐cresylphosphite. At 500° and atmospheric pressure, 1,5‐dimethyl‐1‐cyclooctene thermally isomerizes to 2,6‐dimethyl‐1,7‐octadiene.

This paper concerns the reaction of myrcene, 7‐methyl‐3‐methylene‐1,6‐octadiene, with acetic acid‐sodium acetate and phenol‐sodium phenoxide in the presence of a variety of palladium‐catalysts under various conditions. The reaction of myrcene with acetic acid catalysed by palladous chloride‐triphenyl phosphine in benzene under nitrogen gave a mixture of linalylacetate (I), 2‐acetoxy‐3‐methylene‐7‐methyl‐6‐octene (II), 3‐acetoxymethyl‐7‐methyl‐2,6‐octadiene (III), nerylacetate (IV) and geranylacetate (V) in yield of 15%. The analogous reaction catalysed by palladium‐cupric acetate under oxygen gave the similar acetates mixture in yield of 21%. The reaction of myrcene with phenol catalysed palladous chloride‐benzonitrile complex gave a mixture of various terpene ethers and myrcene dimers.

Lithium naphthalene reacts with acetic acid to give α‐anion of lithium acetate. The reaction of this anion with various ketones gives the corresponding β‐hydroxy‐acids in good yield.