Compounds · Sesquiterpenes · Terpenoid pathway
β-Elemene
Light wood, slightly herbal, with a waxy note. Faint and hard to pick out on its own.
- CAS
- 515-13-9
- Formula
- C15H24
- Molar mass
- 204.36
- Odour threshold
- —
- Boiling point
- ≈ 252 °C estimated
Where it comes from
Biosynthetic pathway: Terpenoid pathway — plants build them from identical five-carbon blocks.
Why it sits where it does
It is formed partly from germacrene D breaking down under heat during distillation. So the share of elemene on an analysis reflects the distillation as well as the plant.
Where else you meet it
Myrrh, ginger, celery, and many oils distilled at high temperature. It is an example of a compound created by the method.
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