Synthesis of (-)-elemoxide, a commercially important fragrance compound

•An efficient four steps synthesis of a fragrant sesquiterpene oxide is reported.•Regioselective epoxidation with m-CPBA.•Regioselective epoxide ring opening with lithium aluminium hydride.•Regioselective intramolecular hydroxy attack on unactivated alkene using iodine.•Identified key intermediate which solves the problem of complex mixture formation.