Menthone®

Other comments :

Menthone® is less green than L-Carvone, but fresher, and more foody than L-Menthol.

Stability :

Stable in perfumes and diverse functional bases

Uses in perfumery :

Menthone® is used in minty notes, for a deep and liquorice note. Allows to nuance the cold sensation of L-Menthol and L-Carvone in a mint reconstitution. Gives a very sweet and frosty mint effect.

Year of discovery :

Data not available.

Isomerism :

Menthone® is a mixture of two pairs of dextrorotatory and laevorotatory isomers: Menthone® and Isomenthone. Isomenthone has a more moldy smell than Menthone®. These two enantiomers have a strong tendency to interchange, making it difficult to separate them from synthetic Menthone® or from an essential oil. In the synthesis of Menthone®, the isomers of the molecules can be selected by changing the synthesis conditions or the starting reagent (for example, dehydrogenated or oxidized L-Menthol gives a mixture of L-Menthone® and D-isomenthone). Linalool, Nerol, Geraniol and Terpineol are some of the constitutional isomers of Menthone®. Nevertheless, they have a much more floral or terpenic smell, far from the frosty mint note of Menthone®.

Synthesis precursor :

Menthone® is a precursor to the synthesis of Menthol by catalytic hydrogenation, forming NeoMenthol and Menthol.

Natural availability :

The natural production of Menthone® can be made from a dementholised Corn Mint EO (see L-Menthol).

Synthesis route :

Synthetic Menthone® is produced by a dehydrogenation of L-Menthol, with the presence of catalytic copper and chromium. A hydrogenation of Thymol, catalysed by palladium, also allows to obtain a racemic mixture of Menthone® isomers.