The chemical reactions and pathways involving ent-kaur-16-ene. Ent-kaurene is a tetracyclic diterpenoid that is a precursor of several plant isoprenoids, including gibberellins.
The three successive oxidations of the 4-methyl group of ent-kaurene to form ent-kaur-16-en-19-oate, kaurenoic acid. This process may be carried out entirely by the enzyme ent-kaurene oxidase.