Compounds · Monoterpenes · Terpenoid pathway
β-Phellandrene
Mint, slightly citrus, with a light wood note. Close to α-phellandrene but cleaner.
- CAS
- 555-10-2
- Formula
- C10H16
- Molar mass
- 136.23
- Odour threshold
- —
- Boiling point
- ≈ 172 °C at atmospheric pressure
Volatility
150 °C290 °C
Where it comes from
Biosynthetic pathway: Terpenoid pathway — plants build them from identical five-carbon blocks.
Why it sits where it does
An isomer of α-phellandrene, differing in the position of one double bond. That small difference is enough for the nose to tell them apart, even though their boiling points are almost the same.
Where else you meet it
Dill, lemon-scented gum, ginger. The α and β phellandrene pair is a good example of isomers not being interchangeable.