Odor-structure relationships in n-hexenols and n-hexenals.

The relationships between the chemical structures and the odor characteristics were examined on a series of highly purified n-hexenols and n-hexenals-(14 isomers). The C6-enals and the corresponding alcohols resembled in odor characteristics each other. However, the odor strength of the aldehydes was 100-1000 times higher than those of the alcohols. In the principal components analysis, the position of carbon-carbon double-bond in the C6-compounds was closely related to the scores of the first principal component, whereas the functional groups, hydroxy and formyl groups, were related to those of the second principal component except for (Z)-3-hexenol.