Carnation perfume

It is a liquid with a powerful carnation odour, and is indispensable in the compounding of perfumes of the carnation and ceillet type. 

It is a useful adjunct in the manufacture of perfumes of the carnation type, modifying the odours of eugenol and isoeugenol to some extent. 

At the point of writing, no GM crops are yet available to gardeners, but developments on the horizon include peculiar colors, such as blue carnations and roses grass that does not need mowing and novel perfumes. This novelty may prove to be more costly than we can possibly imagine. 

Uses. Isoeugenol is used in perfumery in a large number of blossom compositions, mostly for clove and carnation types, but also in oriental perfumes. Small amounts are employed in aromas and in reconstituted essential oils. 

During the early years of the century a number of successful perfumes had been made based on salicylates, usually on a combination of amyl and benzyl salicylate. Among these were floral-aldehydic perfumes such as Quelques Fleurs and Fleurs de Rocailles with a dominant lilac note, and Je Reviens based on narcisse and jonquille. Many of these perfumes also contained a combination of eugenol and isoeugenol as part of a carnation complex, and it was these in combination with benzyl salicylate which were to form the inspiration for the creation of L Air du Temps. 

At the heart of L Air du Temps lies the classic accord, 4% 1, between benzyl salicylate (15%) and eugenol. The large proportion of these two materials together with ylang and isoeugenol provide the essential carnation character that dominates the perfume throughout its evaporation. 

The base note also contains the important accord between methyl ionone (10%), vetiveryl acetate, sandalwood, musk ketone, and originally musk ambrette. These materials together with the carnation make up the immediately recognizable central character of the perfume. 

Vanillin would appear, like many of the animal notes, to act as a trigger to our awareness of smell. Trace amounts in a formula will not only bring out the character of a perfume but raise its level of impact. It appears to work in a perfume in very much the same way as a pinch of salt in cooking. Most dishes, even those that we do not immediately think of as being salty, benefit by its use, but too much can be a disaster. As an ingredient of most carnation bases, as well as of amber notes, it finds its way into nearly every perfume. 

Although less closely related to L Air du Temps than Fidji, we may think of Anais Anais (Cacharel 1979) as a perfume created within the same tradition. Again its character is essentially floral, in this case a combination of "white flowers," including jasmin, muguet, lilac, magnolia, tuberose, honeysuckle, and carnation, with a complex of woody notes, musks, and salicylates (6%). 

Despite the 70 odd years that separate the two perfumes Oscar de la Renta shows a remarkable similarity in its overall conception to that of L Origan. Whether or not it was originally formulated, as was L Origan, around the use of bases, we may conveniently describe its composition along the same lines. At the heart of the perfume is a similar combination of methyl ionone, an ambreine note, carnation, and or-... 

To the floral side of the perfume has been added ylang, bringing out the carnation aspect of the eugenol-salicylate accord. This, with the jasmin and rose components, gives a more floral effect reminiscent of some of the older mellis-based perfumes such as Moment Supreme. The presence of methyl ionone also tends in this direction. The woody side of the accord is predominantly a combination of Iso E super and sandalwood. 

Other aspects of the perfume are its balsamic notes such as benzoin which, with castoreum and a costus note (the natural product can no longer be used), combine with the isobutyl quinoline to give the leather character. As we have seen before, spices such as cinnamon and clove work well with leather notes, and these are again present, backed up by a carnation accord of eugenol, heliotropin, and vanillin. 

The dominant woody aspect of the perfume is made up of Vertofix (12%), vetiver notes, cedryl acetate, and sandalwood, with guaiacwood supporting the rose. The mossy character comes from oakmoss and a complex based on isobutyl quinoline reminiscent of Mousse de Saxe. There is also a small amount of a spicy carnation note including one of the sweet spices such as clove or pimento. The wonderful richness of the perfume suggests the addition of numerous other materials in very small amounts, and it is probable that in the creation of a perfume such as this tinctures of musk, ambergris, and civet would also have been used. 

The disconnections we have made so far have all been of C-O, C-N, or C-S bonds, but, of course, the most important reactions in organic synthesis are those that form C-C bonds. We can analyse C-C disconnections in much the same way as we ve analysed C-X disconnections. Consider, for example, how you might make this simple compound, which is an intermediate in the synthesis of a carnation perfume. 

Hydration of a triple bond with Hg(II) catalysis depends on forming the more stable vinyl cation (23). Hence terminal acetylenes always give methyl ketones. The carnation perfume (24) can be made this way. 

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