The correlation between structural, stereochemical as well as electronic features and ambergris odor of some tricyclic ethers is established based on quantum chemical calculation method. A definite structural fragment (a "new ambergris triangle") with certain electronic properties determining the origin of the odor is revealed. The influence of HOMO-LUMO energy gaps and total energies of some ambergris compounds on their odor intensity is investigated.

On-line attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) was used to gain a good understanding of the kinetics and mechanism for methyl cyclopentenone (MCP) synthesis from 2-methylfuran and formaldehyde in a...