Process for separating tertiary alcohols from secondary alcohols from pine oil

A process for separating terpineol from borneol and fenchol in pine oil, the process comprising:

• treating the pine oil comprising the borneol, the fenchol, and the terpineol to substantially remove water present in the pine oil to produce a substantially anhydrous pine oil mixture;
• substantially removing the fenchol from the substantially anhydrous pine oil mixture to produce a borneol and terpineol mixture;
• reacting the borneol and terpineol mixture with at least one C3-C30 carboxylic acid ester and at least one base, wherein the borneol is esterified to produce a borneol ester, with the proviso that the base is not a hydroxide;
• and
• separating the terpineol from the borneol ester.

A process for producing fragrance-quality terpineol, the process comprising:

• distilling pine oil comprising water, terpenes, fenchol, borneol, and terpineol to substantially remove the water, the terpenes, and the fenchol to produce a mixture comprising a majority of borneol and terpineol;
• reacting the mixture comprising the majority of the borneol and the terpineol with at least one C3-C30 carboxylic acid ester comprising at least one C7-C20 carboxylic acid moiety and at least one strong organic base, wherein the majority of the borneol is esterified to produce a borneol ester;
• and
• distilling the terpineol from the borneol ester, wherein the distilled terpineol comprises at least 95% by weight of the terpineol.