Exaltolide

What it is

Exaltolide is a name for cyclopentadecanolide, an organic compound with the formula (CH₂)₁₄CO₂. Its preferred IUPAC name is 1-oxacyclohexadecan-2-one. Its odor threshold in air is 1 to 4 ppb.

Occurrence

Cyclopentadecanolide is present in angelica root in small quantities, less than 1% in the roots and less than 0.5% in the seeds. It gives angelica root a distinctive musky aroma. Angelica archangelica, the plant that yields the root, is a biennial of the family Apiaceae, and its root is used in flavoring preparations.

Chemistry and physical form

Cyclopentadecanolide forms colorless crystals that melt at 34 °C and boil at 98 °C under a pressure of 0.02 Torr.

Musks and ring size

Plant musks are generally lactones, while musks from animals are generally ketones. Muscone, a macrocyclic ketone, is the primary contributor to the odor of deer musk. Macrocyclic musks are often lactones, containing ester linkages, and they are thought to have stronger musky smells. A musky smell tends to occur in ring compounds with about 14 to 19 atoms in the ring, whether ketones or lactones. Synthetic musks as a class emulate the scent of deer musk and other animal musks, with a clean, smooth and sweet scent that lacks the fecal notes of animal musks.

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Related: Aldron · Ambretone · Ambrette Musk Mallow · Ambrettolide Natural Musk · Ambrinol · Coral Reef · Cyclopentadecanolide · Galaxolide