Superficial scald, a functional disorder of stored apples VIII. Volatile products from the autoxidation of α‐farnesen

The main volatile product during the early stages of the autoxidation of α‐farnesene is 6‐methyl‐5‐hepten‐2‐one. Evidence that other unsaturated volatile ketones are also formed was obtained by catalytic reduction of the reaction mixture, when their more stable saturated derivatives were isolated. These ketones may arise by fragmentation of an α‐farnesene derivative at the central tertiary carbon atom in each of three possible ways.