Chirality & Odour Perception
John C. Leffingwell, Ph.D.

The Camphors

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Photo by permission of M. Roudintska - Art & Parfum

(1R,4R)-(+)-camphor - camphoraceous

Odor Threshold = 1000-1290 ppb

= (1R,4R)-(+)-1,3,3-Trimethyl-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one

Ref: D.A. Lillard & J.J. Powers, Aqueuos odor thresholds of organic pollutants in industrial effluents, National environmental research, Office of research & development, US EPA, Corvallis, Environmental monitoring series EPA-660/4-75-002; P.Pelosi & A.M. Pisanelli, Chemical Senses, 6, 87-93 (1981); L.J. van Gemert, Compilations of odour threshold values in air and water, Boelens Aroma Chemical Information Service, Publisher (1999), p. B-117; E.T. Theimer et al, J. Agric Food Chem., 25,1168-1177 (1977)

Note* - when originally posted, we (like many others) used the wrong absolute configurations for the two enantiomeric camphors. This has now been corrected. The configurations in Theimer's paper are correct. See http://www.cscs.ch/~mvalle/ChemViz/errors/index.html for the explanation.

(1S,4S)-(-)-camphor - camphoraceous

Odor Threshold = 520 ppb

= (1S,4S)-(-)-1,3,3-Trimethyl-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one

Ref: H. Tamura, et. al., Bioactive Volatile Compounds from Plants, American Chemical Society, ACS Symposium Series 525 (1993), p. 124; L.J. van Gemert, Compilations of odour threshold values in air and water, Boelens Aroma Chemical Information Service, Publisher (1999), p. B-117; E.T. Theimer et al, J. Agric Food Chem., 25,1168-1177 (1977)

Note* - when originally posted, we (like many others) used the wrong absolute configurations for the two enantiomeric camphors. This has now been corrected. The configurations in Theimer's paper are correct. See http://www.cscs.ch/~mvalle/ChemViz/errors/index.html for the explanation.

Cyclic Terpenoid Odorants

Bicyclic Terpenoid Odorants

Acyclic Terpenoid Odorants

Ionones, Irones, Damascones & Structurally Related Odorants

Acyclics (Alcohols, Esters, Acids, Aldehydes)

Lactones

Sesquiterpenoid Related Odorants

Steroid Urine Type Odorants

Sandalwood Type Odorants

Musk Odorants

Miscellaneous

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