VETIVEROL

Description

Vetiverol is a relatively expensive material, and its use, often in the amount of 5 to 10% of the composition, is restricted to better perfumes (better priced perfumes). It blends particularly well with Sandalwood odors, Ionones, Styrax and various materials for “Oriental” and woody bases or perfumes.

Uses

In “modem” perfumes, Vetiverol tinds extensive use as a fixative under mossy and certain floral bases, but it is most attractive in the nontloral types, Chypres, etc. A high grade Vetiverol will not introduce Vetiver oil notes, but only lend soft, sweet, velvety fixation. Minor amounts of the material are used in flavors, where imitation Asparagus and Cucumber may benefit from the peculiar taste of this item. The author would however, by far recommend the lower boiling fractions of Vetiver oil for this purpose.

Synthesis

Vetiverol is prepared：
1) by isolation from Vetiver oil, by fractionated vacuumdistillation.
2) by isolation from saponified Vetiver oil, by fractionated vacuumdistillation.
3) by treatment of Vetiver oil with Acetic anhydride, thereby acetylating the primary alcohols, and dehydrating the tertiary alcohols to hydrocarbons. Fractionated distillation isolates Vetiver acetate from primary alcohols exclusively, and subsequent saponification yields Vetiverol consisting almost exclusively of the two above named alcohols. It has been suggested, but not confirmed with certainty, that the tertiary alcohols will contribute undesirable drycamphoraceous notes to the odor of Vetiverol.