Fragrances Flashcards
What are fragrances?
Pleasant smelling liquids derived from essential oils in plants.
What are essential oils?
Concentrated extracts of the volatile non-water, soluble aroma compounds found in plants.
What are some uses of essential oils?
Perfumes, cosmetics, cleaning products, and flavouring in food.
What are essential oils mainly composed of?
Terpenes
What are terpenes based on?
Isoprene units
What is isoprene?
2-methylbuta-1,3-diene - a gaseous hydrocarbon that is naturally produced by different plants and emitted through their leaves.
What can the term ‘terpene’ mean?
It can include terpene derivatives too, such as terpene alcohols, aldehydes, and ketones.
What is the difference between linear and cyclic terpenes?
Linear terpenes are open chains, whereas cyclic terpenes are closed circular ones.
How do you work out the number of isoprene units in a terpene?
Divide the number of carbons by 5.
How are terpenes classified?
According to the number of isoprene units that are joined together.
Which class of terpene has 2 isoprene units within it?
Monoterpene
Which class of terpene has 3 isoprene units within it?
Sesquiterpene
Which class of terpene has 4 isoprene units within it?
Diterpene
Can terpenes oxidise easily?
Yes
How can essential oils be extracted?
By steam distillation or solvent extraction.
