SummaryA novel class of odorants is described where the odor is associated with the interaction of two functional groups, one being an H-donor (AH function), and the other an H-acceptor (B function). Generally, odor occurs only if the distance between the two structural elements (AH/B system) is less than 3 A. Bifunctional derivatives of the p-menthane and iridane series served as models for deriving this rule. The stereospecificity of odor perception was an important prerequisite for its establishment.It is known that hydroxycarbonyl compounds having a molecular weight up to about 250 may possess a pronounced odor. In other cases, however, bifunctional compounds of this type are completely odorless. No molecular explanation for this contrasting behaviour has been offered. While engaged in work on structure-activity relationships in olfaction we have been able to account for this discrepancy by invoking the stereochemistry of the molecules giving rise to the effects, as illustrated by the formulas below. The compounds in red are odorants, whereas the uncolored molecules were found to be virtually odorless. Examination of Dreiding models shows the distance between the hydrogen atom of the hydroxyl group and the carbonyl group to be less than 3 A in the odoriferous compounds, but more than 3 A in the odorless molecules. A single exception to this rule has been found.In the bifunctional unit of compound 1 the distance between the functional groups is 2.2 A, assuming a chair conformation for the ring and an axial conformation for the aldehyde group. In the diequatorial conformation of compound 2 the distance between the functional groups is about 6 A. Base-catalyzed equilibration showed the equilibrium between 1 and 2 to be mainly (92%) on the side of 2 with concomitant disappearance of the odor. The required distance for this particular type of fragrance already reaches the limit of about 3 A in odoriferous compound 3.This value is largely exceeded in the odorless hydroxyaldhyde 4. We presume that in the cyclohexene derivatives 5-8 the carbonyl group occupies an axial position since only in this case -independent of whether the ring is in a half-chair or a half-twist conformation -the bifunctional unit can be adjusted to the required distance oO18-0l9X/80/ 1/oO76-l9$01.00/0 0 1980 Schweizerische Chemische Gesellschaft