Compounds · Sesquiterpenes · Terpenoid pathway
Valencene
Sweet orange, light wood, with a slight grapefruit note. A bridge between the citrus family and the woody-resinous family.
- CAS
- 4630-07-3
- Formula
- C15H24
- Molar mass
- 204.36
- Odour threshold
- —
- Boiling point
- ≈ 274 °C estimated
Where it comes from
Biosynthetic pathway: Terpenoid pathway — plants build them from identical five-carbon blocks.
Why it sits where it does
Heavy like every sesquiterpene, yet it keeps a citrus note — which is rare, because the citrus part usually belongs to the light group.
Where else you meet it
Orange peel, especially Valencia orange. It is also an industrial raw material converted into the nootkatone of grapefruit.
Dictionary entries that mention this compound
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