Compounds · Alcohols · Terpenoid pathway
α-Bisabolol
Faintly floral, softly sweet, with almost no edge. Very discreet for its weight.
- CAS
- 515-69-5
- Formula
- C15H26O
- Molar mass
- 222.37
- Odour threshold
- —
- Boiling point
- ≈ 314 °C estimated
This compound boils at 314 °C, so it is heavier than any ordinary essential-oil component. It lies outside the 150–290 °C band, so the marker stops at the right edge — not because that is where it sits, but because the axis does not reach that far.
Where it comes from
Biosynthetic pathway: Terpenoid pathway — plants build them from identical five-carbon blocks.
Why it sits where it does
One of the heaviest compounds in the library. A hydroxyl group on a long chain keeps it almost motionless at room temperature.
Where else you meet it
Roman chamomile, the Brazilian candeia tree. Widely used in cosmetics for its soothing properties, but its contribution to smell is very small.
About the boiling-point figure
Boiling points of heavy molecules are often published at reduced pressure without the pressure being stated, because at atmospheric pressure many of them decompose before they boil. The value here is an estimate converted to atmospheric pressure, used to place the compound on the volatility axis, not a measurement. Why this detail matters