gamma-Decalactone

Chemical properties

clear colourless to pale yellow liquid

Chemical properties

gamma-Decalactone is present in a wide variety of foods and is an almost colorless liquid with an intensely fruity odor,reminiscent of peaches. It is used in perfumery for heavy, fruity flower odors and in aroma compositions, particularly peach flavors.

Chemical properties

γ-Decalactone has a pleasant, fruity, peach-like odor.

Occurrence

Reported found in peach, apricot and strawberry aroma. Also reported in butter, milk, beer, rum, red and white wine, mango, bilberry, plums, prunes, guava, peach, strawberry fruit and cheeses.

The Uses of gamma-Decalactone

γ-Decalactone may be used as an analytical reference standard for the quantification of the analyte in fruit beverages using different chromatography techniques.

Preparation

Naturalγ-decalactone is produced biotechnologically starting from ricinoleic acid, which is degraded by β-oxidation to 4-hydroxydecanoic acid, which lactonizes at lower pH to yield γ-decalactone

Definition

ChEBI: Gamma-decalactone is a gamma-lactone that is oxolan-2-one substituted by a hexyl group at position 5. It has a role as a flavouring agent, a food additive and an anticonvulsant. It is a gamma-lactone and a tetrahydrofuranone.

Aroma threshold values

Detection: 1 to 11 ppb

Taste threshold values

Taste characteristics at 10 ppm: creamy, fatty, oily, buttery sweet, coconut, fruity and peach-like.

Synthesis Reference(s)

The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 55, p. 462, 1990 DOI: 10.1021/jo00289a016
Synthetic Communications, 18, p. 2241, 1988 DOI: 10.1080/00397918808082366

General Description

γ-Decalactone is a flavor and fragrance compound, which finds applications in food and beverage industry.

Flammability and Explosibility

Not classified

Synthesis

By heating γ-bromocapric acid in a sodium carbonate solution; by prolonged heating of 9-decen-1-oic acid with 80% H2SO2 at 90°C