Fragrance chemistry - Milestones and perspectives

Abstract

This mini-review on Fragrance Chemistry focuses on milestones in the timelines of musk, ionone/ woody and sandalwood odorants, as well as on new perspectives arising from the development of fragrance precursors. After a brief introduction of the history of perfumery, its mutual interaction with the chemistry of odorants, and the current state of the fragrance industry, the whole spectrum of musk odorants is discussed from the accidental discovery of nitro musks like Musk Ketone® via the parallel evolution of benzenoid and macrocyclic musks, to new structures like Cyclomusk® and Moxalone®. Following a description of the structure elucidation of violet odorants, ionone and irone, Iso E Super® and the structurally related Georgywood®, but also Koavone® and Timberol® are treated. Weissenborn's discovery of terpenylcyclohexanols lead to sandalwood synthetics that today are mainly derivatives of campholenic aldehyde like Sandalore®, Sandal Mysore Core®, Polysantol®, Ebanol®, and Javanol®. Finally, lipase labile precursor systems, for instance digeranyl succinate, or UV-radiation labile ones like citronellyl coumarate and citronellyl cyclohexylglyoxylate are presented, and views on 'secondary benefits', 'anti-perfumes' and exclusive 'Editions de Parfums' conclude this overview on the driving forces and the serendipities in the chemistry of fragrant substances.