MOLECULE

Piperonal

Piperonal or 3,4-Methylenedioxybenzaldehyde, also known as heliotropin or piperonyl aldehyde, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as benzodioxoles. These are organic compounds containing a benzene ring fused to either isomers of dioxole. Dioxole is a five-membered unsaturated ring of two oxygen atoms and three carbon atoms. Piperonal is an organic compound which is commonly found in fragrances and flavors. Piperonal occurs naturally in various plants including dill, vanilla, violet flowers, and black pepper. Piperonal has been detected, but not quantified, in several different foods, such as highbush blueberries, pepper (spice), rabbiteye blueberries, and vanilla. Piperonal has a floral odor which is commonly described as being similar to that of vanillin or cherry. For this reason, it is commonly used in fragrances and artificial flavors (https://doi.org/10.1002/14356007.a11_141). Piperonal has also been reported to be a volatile component of cannabis plants (PMID: 26657499).