MOLECULE

alpha-Cedrene

α-Cedrene also known as Cedrene, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as cedrane and isocedrane sesquiterpenoids. These are sesquiterpenoids with a structure based on the cedrane or the isocedrane skeleton. Isocedrane is a rearranged cedrane arising from the migration of a methyl group from the position 6 to the position 4. Sesquiterpenoides are terpenes that contain 15 carbon atoms and are comprised of three isoprene units. The biosynthesis of sesquiterpenes is known to occur mainly through the mevalonic acid pathway (MVA), in the cytosol. However, recent studies have found evidence of pathway crosstalk with the methyl-eritritol-phosphate (MEP) pathway in the plastid (PMID: 19932496, 17710406). Farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) is a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of cyclic sesquiterpenes. FPP undergoes several cyclization reactions to yield a diverse number of cyclic arrangements. α-Cedrene is a tricyclic molecule based on a 3,6,8,8-tetramethyl-1H-3a,7-methano-azulene moiety. α-Cedrene is a naturally occurring tricyclic sesquiterpene found in the essential oil of cedar. There are two known cedrene isomers, namely α- and β-cedrene, which differ in the position of a double bond. α-Cedrene has been detected as a volatile component in cannabis plant samples and essential oils (PMID: 6991645; PMID: 26657499).