104-50-7

Description

y-Octalactone has a strong, fruity odor reminiscent of coconut with a very sweet taste. This substance may be prepared synthetically from epoxy-1,2-hexane and sodio-malonic ester; after saponification the oxyacid is extracted with ether and is lactonized.

Chemical Properties

γ-Octalactone has a fruity odor reminiscent of coconut and a very sweet taste.

Occurrence

Reported found in apricot, peach, blue cheese, butter, cooked chicken and cooked pork, licorice, milk, raspberry, roasted barley, and roasted filbert.

Uses

4-Octanolide is one of the fine organic aerosol emitted from meat cooking operations that was examined by high-resolution gas chromatography.

Aroma threshold values

Detection: 7 ppb; aroma characteristics at 1.0%: sweet, fatty, creamy, coconut, lactonic and coumarinic.

Taste threshold values

Taste characteristics at 1 to 10 ppm: coconut, fatty, creamy, coumarinic, with a strong creamy and waxy mouthfeel.

Synthesis Reference(s)

Chemistry Letters, 23, p. 53, 1994The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 52, p. 4319, 1987 DOI: 10.1021/jo00228a032Tetrahedron Letters, 19, p. 419, 1978 DOI: 10.1016/S0040-4039(01)91443-1

General Description

γ--Octalactone is one of the flavor constituents of peaches, oranges and sweet fortified wines.

Flammability and Explosibility

Notclassified

Safety Profile

Mildly toxic by ingestion. A skin irritant. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes.

Synthesis

Prepared synthetically from epoxy-1,2-hexane and sodio-malonic ester; after saponification, the oxyacid is extracted with ether and is lactonized.