Unit 2 - Nature's Chemistry (Fragrances)

Question 1

What are essential oils?

Answer 1

Useful compounds that can be extracted from plants. Essential oils are concentrated extracts of the aroma compounds from plants that are volatile and not water soluble.

Question 2

What are essential oils used for?

Answer 2

They are widely used in perfumes, cosmetics, cleaning products and as flavourings in foods.

Question 3

What are essential oils primarily made up of?

Answer 3

Terpenes

Question 4

What are terpenes?

Answer 4

Unsaturated hydrocarbons, formed by joining together isoprene (C5H8/2-methylbuta-1,3-diene). These unsaturated C5H8 units can add together head to tail to form terpenes.

Question 5

What are terpenoids?

Answer 5

A family of compounds that are oxidised within plants. They produce some of the compounds responsible for the distinctive aroma of spices. They are terpenes with a hydroxyl group.

Question 6

How are essential oils extracted?

Answer 6

Using steam distillation