Synthetic musk odorants in cosmetic products

Abstract

Musk has its place among the most important classes of odorants used in the perfume industry as itimparts sensuality, volume and diffusion to fragrance compositions. Synthetic musk odorants have beenin use for over 130 years and are found in almost all fragrant consumer products including cosmetics andlaundry detergents. The first group of synthetic musks comprised nitro musks. These are nitro derivatives ofalkylbenzenes which, however, have been banned or their use has been limited to a significant extent. Theywere replaced by polycyclic and macrocyclic musks. Among the polycyclic musks, galaxolide and fixolide,derivatives of benzopyran and tetrahydrophthalene, were on the leading edge, respectively. Macrocyclicmusks are cyclic ketones or lactones derived from the fragrance components of natural musk. The last,rationally developed and synthesised group are alicyclic musks, among which helvetolide and romandolide,esters of propanoic acid, have primacy. Currently, the new generation musk with a diene motif is synthesizedand designed using the knowledge of the molecular target and molecular modelling methods.