Velvione

Chemically, the material is 5-cyclohexadecen-1-one, an unsaturated analog of cyclohexadecanone. Its chemical structure is also similar to that of the natural musk scents civetone and muscone. It can exist as either of two cis/trans isomers, and the commercial product is typically a mixture of the two. It is commercially available as a 40:60 mixture of its (Z)- and (E)-isomers.

Synthetic musks are a class of synthetic aroma compounds that emulate the scent of deer musk and other animal musks. Most musk fragrance used in perfumery today is synthetic. Synthetic musks have a clean, smooth and sweet scent that lacks the fecal notes of animal musks. Macrocyclic ketone musks consist of a single ring of more than 6 carbons, often 10 to 15.

Muscone is a macrocyclic ketone, an organic compound that is the primary contributor to the odor of deer musk. Muscone is a 15-membered ring ketone with one methyl substituent in the 3-position. Since obtaining natural musk requires killing the endangered animal, nearly all muscone used in perfumery and for scenting consumer products today is synthetic.

Macrocyclic ketone musks were not commercially produced or commonly used until the late 1990s, because their synthesis was difficult and their price consequently higher. Nitromusks and polycyclic musks, used for 100 years, have low biodegradability and accumulate in the environment. Velvione is stable and biodegradable.

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Related: Aldambre · Ambrarome · Ambrein · Ambreine · Ambrettolide · Ambronova · Ammonia · Animal Notes