Compounds · Sesquiterpenes · Terpenoid pathway
α-Copaene
Wood, slightly spicy, with a faint honey note. Warmer than cadinene and less dusty.
- CAS
- 3856-25-5
- Formula
- C15H24
- Molar mass
- 204.36
- Odour threshold
- —
- Boiling point
- ≈ 262 °C estimated
Where it comes from
Biosynthetic pathway: Terpenoid pathway — plants build them from identical five-carbon blocks.
Why it sits where it does
Three fused rings form a very rigid skeleton. It is one of the sesquiterpenes most resistant to heat and oxidation.
Where else you meet it
Coffee, black pepper, lemongrass, sandalwood. In citrus growing it is known as an attractant for fruit flies.
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