Direct Enantioselective Separation and Olfactory Evaluation of All Irone Isomers

Abstract

The racemates of all irone isomers (cis-α, trans-α, β, cis-γ, trans-γ) have been resolved by chiral capillary gas chromatography and the separated pure enantiomers have been olfactorily characterized by using GC-sniffing techniques. (+)-cis-γ-Irone and (+)-cis-α-irone were found to have the most interesting organoleptic properties. Application of this analytical method to industrially-produced Orris oils of various origins allowed the differentiation between natural and non-natural qualities.