MOLECULE

Nerol

Nerol or (Z)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-ol or cis-Geranial is formally classified as an alkylalcohol although it is biochemically a monoterpenoid synthesized from isoprene units. It is soluble in water and very soluble in alcohol. Nerol is a naturally occurring organic compound found in the essential oils of many plants and was originally found in neroli oil, from which its name was derived. The largest natural source is palmarosa oil and it is the primary constituent of rose oil, palmarosa oil, and citronella oil (Java type) with in small quantities found in geranium, lemon, and many other essential oils. Different foods contain nerol with the highest concentration found in common grapes, black walnuts, and common thymes and in lower concentrations in cardamoms, common oregano, and gingers. Nerol has also been detected in lemon verbena, oval-leaf huckleberries, common pea, sweet cherries, and nopals and in cannabis plants (PMID: 6991645) . Nerol has a sweet, citrus and floral flavor with a sweet rose-like odor. It is used to create flavors such as peach, raspberry, grapefruit, red apple, plum, lime, orange, lemon, watermelon, pineapple, and blueberry. This alcohol is widely and frequently used in perfumery as it has a freshness to a rose base (PMID: 18640199). It is detected in small quantities in orange peel and together with other oils, was found to have antimicrobial properties (PMID: 27535797).