Geraniol is a monoterpenoid and an It is the primary component of. rose oil, palmarosa oil, and citronella oil (Java type). It is a colorless oil, although commercial samples can appear yellow. It has low solubility in water, but it is soluble in common organic solvents. The functional group derived from geraniol (in essence, geraniol lacking the terminal −OH) is called geranyl.
USAGE
In addition to rose oil, palmarosa oil, and citronella oil, it also occurs in small quantities in geranium, lemon, and many other essential oils. With a rose-like scent, it is commonly used in perfumes. It is used in flavors such as peach, raspberry, grapefruit, red apple, plum, lime, orange, lemon, watermelon, pineapple, and blueberry.
Geraniol is produced by the scent glands of honeybees to mark nectar-bearing flowers and locate the entrances to their hives. It has been considered as a mosquito repellent
It is a byproduct of the metabolism of sorbate and, thus, is a very unpleasant contaminant of if bacteria are allowed to grow in it.
Identifiers | |
CAS Number | 106-24-1 |
Properties | |
Chemical formula | C10H18O |
Molar mass | 154.25 g·mol−1 |
Density | 0.889 g/cm3 |
Melting point | −15 °C (5 °F; 258 K) |
Boiling point | 230 °C (446 °F; 503 K) |
Solubility in water | 686 mg/L (20 °C) |