Organic molecules with oxygen

Chemically, plant essential oils consist largely of mixtures of compounds known as terpenoids —small organic molecules with an immense diversity of structure. More than 35,000 different terpenoids are known. Some are open-chain molecules, and others contain rings some are hydrocarbons, and others contain oxygen. Hydrocarbon terpenoids, in particular, are known as terpenes, and all contain double bonds. For example ... 

Ester An organic molecule with a carbon-oxygen double bond that has the general formula RC(0)OR , where R and R represent possibly different organic carbon chains. See Figure B.6. 

Chemically, plant essentisd oils consist lai ely of mixtures of lipids called terpenes. Terpenes are small organic molecules with sin immense diversity of structure. Thousands of different terpenes are known. Some are hydrocarbons, and others contain oxygen some are open-diain molecules, and others contain rii s. Figure 27.3 gives some examples. 

Under normal conditions, most nonvolatile chemicals cannot reach the human olfactory epithelium and so are unable to stimulate olfaction. However, such molecules, when presented as aerosols, can reach the sensory tissue and can then stimulate a response. Odorants are typically small, hydrophobic, organic molecules with a mass range of 34-300 Da. Most odorants contain a single polar group. The majority of odorants contain oxygen. 

Gerischer, H., 1993, Photo electrochemical catalysis of the oxidation of organic molecules by oxygen on small semiconductor particles with TiOa as an example, ElectrochimicaActa, 38(l) 3-9. 

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