Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 25, 2025

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
Published on: April 23, 2019
Structure-Odor Activity Studies on Derivatives of Aromatic and Oxygenated Monoterpenoids Synthesized by Modifying
Linda Schreiner1,2, Johannes Bauer1, Eva Ortner2
1Aroma and Smell Research, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Henkestraße 9, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
Abstract:
Thymoquinone was recently reported as having a unique pencil-like odor and being the impact compound for the cedar-like and cedar wood-based product smell such as pencils. The compounds thymol and carvacrol are structurally related odorants commonly found in plants and foods such as thyme and oregano, also having a significant contribution to their overall aroma. However, a systematic elucidation of the sensory properties in this class of oxygenated, aromatic monoterpenoids has not been carried out. To close this gap and gain new insights into structure-odor relationships leading to pencil-like and woody odors, 19 structurally related derivatives of p-cymene starting from thymol and carvacrol were synthesized and characterized. The compounds had odor thresholds ranging from 2.0 ng/L air to 388.8 ng/L air, being lowest for thymol and carvacrol and highest for thymohydroquinone. The compounds smelled mostly thyme-like, oregano-like, and pencil-like with phenolic, earthy, and medicinal variations in their odor character, which could be successfully linked to structural motifs.
Related Concept Videos
Aromatic Compounds: Overview
In 1825, Faraday isolated...
Aromatic Hydrocarbon Anions: Structural Overview
Due to the absence of continuous...
ortho–para-Directing Activators: –CH3, –OH, –⁠NH2, –OCH3
Nomenclature of Aromatic Compounds with a Single Substituent
Five-Membered Heterocyclic Aromatic Compounds: Overview
Aromatic Hydrocarbon Cations: Structural Overview
Removing one hydrogen from the intervening CH2 group...

