18.5 What is the nicest smelling compound? (Chemistry)
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This article is from the Chemistry FAQ, by Bruce Hamilton B.Hamilton@irl.cri.nz with numerous contributions by others.
18.5 What is the nicest smelling compound? (Chemistry)
Aside from thinking about your stomach, when the smell of cooking foods
is attractive, then most people like the smell of flowers and citrus fruits.
These are volatile, aromatic, oils, whose major components are complex
mixtures of medium volatility compounds, often derived from terpenes, eg
Oil of Rose ( 70 - 75% geraniol = (E)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadiene-1-ol ),
Oil of Bergamot ( 36 - 45% linalyl acetate = 3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3-yl
acetate ). Many aromatic oils are mixtures of terpene esters ( oil of
geranium = 20 - 35% geraniol esters ) or aldehydes ( oil of lemon grass =
75 - 85% citral = 3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienal ). Merck briefly describes
nearly 100 volatile oils, from Oil of Amber to Oil of Yarrow, along with
typical applications. Flower perfumes are complex blends of compounds, and
detailed compositions of your favourite smell are often available in the
journal " Perfumer and Flavorist ".
Expensive flower petal perfumes, such as rose and jasmine, are produced
using extracts obtained by the traditional "enfleurage" process ( refer to
Section 24.4 ).
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