Description
gamma-Hexalactone has a warm, powerful, herbaceous, sweet
odor and a sweet, coumarin-caramel taste. May be prepared by
reduction of sorbic acid using Zn, Sn, or SnCl2 and concentrated
HCL in acetic acid solution at 85°C; from ethylene oxide and
sodio-malonic ester; also from propyl alcohol and methylacrylate
in the presence of di-tert-butyl peroxide.
Chemical Properties
γ-Hexalactone has a sweet, herbaceous, warm, powerful, odor, with a sweet, coumarin-caramel taste. This compound
is also described to have odor as sweet, creamy, lactonic, tobacco and coumarin-like with green coconut nuances.
Occurrence
Reported found in apple juice, apricot, orange juice, guava, raisin, papaya, peach, pineapple, berries, asparagus, peas, potato, tomato, breads, cheeses, butter, milk, chicken fat, cooked beef, cooked pork, beer, cognac, grape wines, cocoa,
tea, filberts, pecans, passion fruit, Japanese plum, beans, mushroom, starfruit, mango, dried fig, prickly pear, licorice, soursop, Cape
gooseberry, nectarines, quince, pawpaw and other sources.
Preparation
By reduction of sorbic acid using Zn, Sn or SnCl2 and concentrated HCl in acetic acid solution at 85°C; from ethylene
oxide and sodio-malonic ester; also from propyl alcohol and methylacrylate in the presence of di-tert-butyl peroxide
