Compounds · Sesquiterpenes · Terpenoid pathway
δ-Cadinene
Dry wood, slightly medicinal, with a dusty note. Closer to old wood than to fresh.
- CAS
- 483-76-1
- Formula
- C15H24
- Molar mass
- 204.36
- Odour threshold
- —
- Boiling point
- ≈ 275 °C estimated
Where it comes from
Biosynthetic pathway: Terpenoid pathway — plants build them from identical five-carbon blocks.
Why it sits where it does
Its two fused rings make the molecule rigid and not very mobile, so it stays for a very long time. This group of compounds contributes to the base of wood oils.
Where else you meet it
Juniper, cedar, black pepper, and many aromatic woods. It is also found in cotton, as part of the plant’s defence mechanism.
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