Menthol

History and occurrence

Shimyama has asserted that menthol has been known in Japan for more than 2000 years, but in the west it was not isolated until 1771, by Gambius. (-)-Menthol (also called l-menthol or (1R,2S,5R)-menthol) occurs naturally in peppermint oil (along with a little menthone, the ester menthyl acetate and other compounds), obtained from various species of Mentha piperita L. Japanese menthol also contains a small percentage of the 1-epimer, (+)-neomenthol.

Related Topics:
Menthone - Menthyl acetate - Epimer

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