Advances in the Industrial Synthesis of Medium to Large Ring Molecules

Abstract

The synthetic chemist’s interest in materials with musk odours began when it was realised that crude natural musks, such as those isolated in limited amounts from the musk deer and civet cat, were prized as indispensable fragrance ingredients in the 1800’s[1]. Over a period of time the active musks in these crude materials were identified as macrocyclic compounds such as methyl substituted cyclopentadecanones and cycloheptadecenones[2]. Similar musk materials of vegetable origin were also found for example, ambrettolide which can be isolated from ambrette seed oil[3]. Since the availability of these musks from their natural source is limited, they command a very high price and their use in perfumery is relatively very small.