A short, efficient synthesis of the chiral auxiliary (+)-8-phenylneomenthol

(+)-8-Phenylneomenthol 2, the structure of which was confirmed by X-ray analysis of its 3,5-dinitrobenzoate, was efficiently prepared from commercially available (−)-8-phenylmenthol 3 by oxidation with the Sarett reagent, followed by L-Selectride reduction of the (+)-8-phenylmenthone 6 thus formed.