Alfa-humulen

PolusintetičkaDRVA I MAHOVINEdrvenast · zemljan · biljni
Bazne notePiramida
—Jačina
—Trajnost
6Poreklo
Uzorak
Alfa-humulen kao sirovina za parfeme
Bazne note
Major component of Humulus lupulus (hops), Zingiber zerumbet (shampoo ginger), Cannabis sativa
Definicija

Dry, woody-green, with an unexpected watery undertow. The smell of crushed hop cones in a cold warehouse — bitter, herbal, faintly oceanic.

DRVENAST ZEMLJAN BILJNI
HUMULENE ALPHA-HUMULENE HUMULENE
Type
Sirovina
Olfactive family
Drvenasti
Source
hops, sage, ginger
Chemical class
terpenoid (sesquiterpene)
Instrumenti
Piramida
GGornje note
SSrednje note
BBazne note
Zemlje proizvođači
Kina Češka Nemačka Indija Jugoistočna Azija Sjedinjene Američke Države

Miris

Woody-earthy opening with a particular watery-marine undercurrent that sets it apart from most sesquiterpenes. Drier and greener than beta-caryophyllene, without the latter's peppery-clove bite. A subtle sage-like herbaceousness emerges in the mid-phase. On skin, the woody-mineral residue has the quiet persistence of damp stone after rain — clean, not heavy.

Detaljno

CAS 6753-98-6. A monocyclic sesquiterpene (C₁₅H₂₄, MW 204.35) also known by the obsolete synonym alpha-caryophyllene. Named after Humulus lupulus (common hops), the plant from which it was first isolated. It is a constitutional isomer of beta-caryophyllene: same atoms, different ring geometry. Where beta-caryophyllene is bicyclic with a strained cyclobutane ring, alpha-humulene is an 11-membered macrocycle with three internal double bonds. This open-ring architecture gives it a flatter, less spicy character.

The odour is woody and earthy at first contact, then reveals an unusual watery-marine quality — one of very few naturally occurring terpenes that does this. A dry, bitter-herbal quality sits underneath, recalling sage leaf rubbed between fingers. It lacks the peppery bite of beta-caryophyllene. On blotter, it reads green-woody for the first hour, then settles into a quiet, almost mineral dryness.

Found abundantly in hops (up to 40% of total essential oil in noble varieties like Hallertau and Saaz), sage (Salvia officinalis), ginger (Zingiber officinale), and Cannabis sativa. The molecule co-occurs with beta-caryophyllene in virtually all of these sources. In brewing, the humulene-to-caryophyllene ratio above 3:1 defines the aromatic profile of European noble hops.

In perfumery, alpha-humulene is rarely used as an isolate. It enters compositions through hop absolute, clary sage oil, or ginger CO2 extracts. Its value lies in its watery-woody bridging capacity — connecting aquatic accords to herbal-green structures without synthetic ozonic notes. Vapour pressure at 25°C is approximately 0.01 mmHg, confirming moderate tenacity consistent with a heart-to-base position.

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Related: Alder · Amaranth · Amberever · Amburana Bark · Antillone · Apple Tree · Araucaria

Zanimljivosti

In brewing, the humulene-to-caryophyllene ratio in hop oil is a defining metric of hop nobility. Ratios above 3:1 characterise the classic European noble hops — Saaz, Hallertau Mittelfrüh, Tettnang, Spalt — and produce the floral-herbal-spicy aroma profile prized in pilsners and lagers. American-style hops tend toward lower ratios with higher myrcene, yielding citrusy-resinous character instead.

Dobijanje i hemija

Način dobijanja

Isolated from hop essential oil (Humulus lupulus) by steam distillation followed by fractional distillation to separate it from co-occurring beta-caryophyllene and myrcene. Supercritical CO2 extraction at 40-50°C and 150-400 bar is an alternative method that preserves thermolabile fractions. Hop oil yields are typically 0.5-1.5% of dried cone weight; within that oil, alpha-humulene comprises 15-40% depending on cultivar — noble varieties (Hallertau, Saaz) trend toward the upper range. Also available as a synthetic or semi-synthetic isolate. Plant yields of high-purity alpha-humulene remain inconsistent across species, and no single botanical source has been established as a reliable high-concentration supply.

Formula
C15H24
CAS
6753-98-6
Botanički naziv
Major component of Humulus lupulus (hops), Zingiber zerumbet (shampoo ginger), Cannabis sativa
Izgled
Colourless to pale yellow liquid with a woody, earthy-spicy odour
Sinonimi
HUMULENE ALPHA-HUMULENE HUMULENE
Status prema standardima IFRA
Pogledajte napomenu

Not subject to an IFRA Standard (51st Amendment)

Fizička svojstva
Tačka ključanja
99.00 to 100.00 °C. @ 3.00 mm Hg
Tačka paljenja
194.00 °F. TCC ( 90.00 °C. )
Relativna gustina
0.88900 to 0.89500 @ 25.00 °C.
Indeks prelamanja
1.49900 to 1.50500 @ 20.00 °C.

U parfemima

Background modifier and naturalistic bridge note. Alpha-humulene rarely appears as a standalone isolate in fragrance formulation — it contributes through essential oils and absolutes that contain it (hop absolute, clary sage, ginger CO2). Its principal value is the unusual watery-woody quality: it can anchor aquatic or marine accords in a natural, herbal context without resorting to synthetic ozonics like Calone. In herbal-aromatic families (fougère, aromatic chypre), it reinforces earthy depth. In cannabis-inspired or beer-inspired accords — a small but active niche — it provides the signature hoppy realism. Functionally, it works alongside beta-caryophyllene, myrcene, and linalool in complex herbal bases. Its moderate tenacity (vapour pressure ~0.01 mmHg at 25°C) places it in the heart-to-base transition zone rather than as a true fixative.

Uloga u formuli
01modifikator
02sirovina za stapanje
03fiksativ
Oblici na tržištu
eterično ulje sintetički

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