This document discusses the art, science, and technology of perfumery. It begins by describing the human olfactory system and how scents are detected. It then explains that perfume is a mixture used to impart scent, and describes the main constituents including vehicles, fixatives, and odorous substances. Essential oils, isolates, and synthetic materials are covered. The document outlines biosynthesis routes in plants and animal sources. It discusses factors like stability, measurable properties, world market leaders, and concludes with notes on future aspects and references.

1. Perfumery : Art, Science &
Technology

2. How do we smell:
Human Olfactory
System:
1. Olfactory Bulb.
2. Mitral Cells.
3. Bone.
4. Nasal Epithelium.
5. Glomerulus
(olfaction).
6. Olfactory Receptor
Cells.

3. Receptor Signal Processing Path
cells
Olfactory
bulb
trigeminal
Thalamus taste others
Hypothalamus
Olfactory
cortex

4. Perfume:
• Perfume is a mixture of fragrant aroma
compounds, fixatives and solvents used to give the
human body , animals, objects and living spaces “a
pleasant scent”.
• The aroma compounds are volatile substances
generally having a molecular weight under 300 Da &
hydrophobic in nature.
• According to the origin fragrant molecules can be
classified as Natural, Nature – identical & Artificial.

5. Perfume Constituents
1. Vehicles:
Functions:
 Acts as solvents for blending & holding perfume materials.
 Being volatile helps to project the scent it carries.
Desired qualities:
 Fairly inert to the solutes.
 Should not contribute to the olfaction.
Example:
Ethyl alcohol mixed with more or less water. However
neutral – smelling oils such as liquid waxes are also used.

6. 2. Fixatives:
Functions:
 Retarding the rate of evaporation of various odorous
constituents.
 Pre-fixation of the solvent i.e. removing its slight natural odour.
Desired qualities:
 Higher boiling point, fairly inert & don’t contribute to olfaction.
 If they do, they must blend with & complement the main
fragrance.
Example:
Animal fixative: Musk; Resinous: Ambrein; Essential oil: Sandalwood
Synthetic: Vanillin, Benzophenone.

7. 3. Odorous Substances:
Categorized under three headings:
a) Essential Oils: Volatile, odoriferous oils of vegetable origin.
Compounds occurring are phenols, ketones, terpenes, lactones
etc. Extracted by distillation, expression etc processes.
b) Isolates: Pure chemical compounds whose source is an
essential oil or other perfume material. E.g. eugenol from clove
oil.
c) Synthetic & semi-synthetic materials: These are
synthesized by chemical reaction processes like
condensation, esterification, nitration, oxidation etc. E.g. vanillin
from eugenol.

9. Basic Biosynthesis Routes in Plants

10. Fragrance from Animal Sources

11. Few synthetic schemes:

12. Fragrance “Notes”
• Top : Sensed immediately after
application. E.g. Violet.
also called “Head” note.
• Middle: Emerges just prior to
when the top notes dissipate.
E.g. Floral. Other name –
“Heart” note.
• Base: Scent that appears after
30 mins of application. E.g.
Musk, Vanilla. Other name –
“Soul” note.

13. Fragrance Technology

14. The Perfume Brief:

15. Degrees of Freedom

16. Stability:
Factors which play major roles:
1. pH range of different cosmetic formulations.
2. Degradation due to aging.
3. Poor stability due to the presence of reactive functional
groups like aldehyde.
4. Improper packaging materials allowing oxygen penetration
and results in rancidity.
Imine formation

18. Additives are added to increase stability
Examples
 UV absorbers improve stability towards light. E.g.
Benzophenone – 2
 Chelating agents prevent discolouring reactions. E.g.
EDTA & its salts.
 Antioxidants helps to prevent rancidity. E.g. citric
acid, tartaric acid.

19. Accountable Physical Properties
1. Perfume Ingredient Volatility: Relative molecular
mass, boiling point, saturated vapour pressure are checked.
2. Perfume Polarity: Measuring activity coefficient γ along
with equilibrium headspace profile.
3. Retention & Substantivity: Measure longevity of
perfume materials.

20. Measuring Odour
Odour Intensity & Threshold
Value

21. Major Players of World Market
Company Market Share 2010 % Market Share 2011 %
Givaudan 20.6 19.1
Firmenich 13.5 12.9
IFF 11.9 12.8
Symrise 9.6 9.4
Takasago 6.4 6.8
Mane SA 2.9 3.4
S Technologies 2.6 2.8
T Hasegawa 2.5 2.6
Frutarom 2.2 2.4
Robertet 2.1 2.2

22. Conclusion
• Future Aspects:
Improvement in understanding of “Physiological
Mechanism of Olfaction” & Pharmaceutical industry
alike “Synthetic Fragrant Design & Development”.
“ Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands
of miles & all the years you have lived ”
Helen Keller

23. • References:
• David H Pybus & Charles S Sell; Chemistry of Fragrances – second
edition, RSC Paperbacks.
• David Rowe; Chemistry & Technology of Flavors & Fragrances –
Blackwell Publishing.
• Horst Surburg & Johannes Panten; Common Fragrance & Flavour
Materials – Preparation,Properties & Uses; 5th edition Wiley-VCH.
• Robert R Calkin & J. Stephan Jellinek; Perfumary – Practice &
Principles; 1994 Wiley.
• Stig E Friberg & Zhiqiang ZhangStability factors & vapor pressures in
a model fragrance emultion system. J . Cosmet Sci 50, 203-
219, (July/August 1999).
• Shrieve’s Industrial Chemistry. 10th Edition.
• www.wikipedia.com

24. Acknowledgement
I like to convey my regards to my respected teachers
Dr. Arup Mukherjee, Dr. Achintya Saha & Dr.
Sriparna Dutta for guiding & helping me to enrich
my knowledge with proper vision.
Thanks to all my classmates for helping me out with
resources.