Preparation of a caryophyllene alcohol mixture

The process for rearranging a caryophyllene derivative selected from the group consisting of caryophyllene oxide and dihydro caryophyllene oxide using an aluminum isopropylate catalyst and a toluene solvent comprising the steps of (i) intimately admixing aluminum isopropylate, toluene and the caryophyllene derivative to form a mixture;

• (ii) heating the resulting mixture at a temperature of from 100.degree. C. up to 150.degree. C. for a period of time of from about 1 up to about 5 hours;
• and (iii) recovering the rearranged caryophyllene oxide or dihydro caryophyllene oxide, a mixture of alcohols, from the reaction mass;
• the concentration of aluminum isopropylate catalyst in the reaction mass varying from about 0.025 molar up to about 0.75 molar;
• and the concentration of caryophyllene oxide or dihydro caryophyllene oxide in the reaction mass varying from about 0.25 molar up to about 1.00 molar.