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ERIC Number: EJ1316482
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Nov
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Limonene in Citrus: A String of Unchecked Literature Citings?
Kvittingen, Lise; Sjursnes, Birte Johanne; Schmid, Rudolf
Journal of Chemical Education, v98 n11 p3600-3607 Nov 2021
In organic chemistry textbooks (S)-(-)-limonene, (-)-limonene or l-limonene, is often given credit for the smell of lemons, while the R-analogue, (+)-limonene or d-limonene, is credited with that of oranges. Results from two odor tests revealed that few persons in the test associated (R)-(+)-limonene with oranges and (S)-(-)-limonene with lemons, when these compounds were of analytical grade. Quality and composition of standard compounds and mixtures used in these olfactory tests were corroborated by gas chromatographic analyses. The statement of (R)-(+)-limonene being responsible for orange odor and (S)-(-)-limonene for the lemon odor apparently stems from an often quoted article from 1971. This investigation was a lesson for both our students and us. Textbooks in organic chemistry that still promote (R)-(+)- and (S)-(-)-limonene as, respectively, the "orange" and "lemon" smell ingredient should be corrected.
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A