Scent Production Research Articles

INVESTIGATION OF THE CINNAMON INFLUENCE ON THE WHEAT BREAD QUALITY ENRICHED WITH FLAX SEEDS OIL MEAL

The materials of the article are studies that are conducted with the aim of expanding the use of non-traditional raw materials for functional purposes in the technology of bakery products. Research is conducted to determine the effect of spiciness cinnamon on the quality of semi-finished products and finished bakery products from wheat flour enriched with flax seeds oil meal. To improve the quality of wheat bread, enriched with flax seeds oil meal, and expand the assortment of bakery products with health properties, the authors propose to use spice cinnamon in the formula of wheat bread in an amount of up to 2 % of the weight of flour. The taste and aroma of these products is characteristic of wheat bread with a pleasant cinnamon flavor. Dosage of cinnamon to 4 % of the flour mass also provides good consumer characteristics of products, however, more pronounced flavor and flavor of cinnamon can limit the circle of consumers of such products. The use of 6 % of cinnamon in the recipe of products leads to a significant deterioration in the volume of products and provides them with too intense flavor. Determination of the content of bisulphite-binding substances in the crumb and crust of products is confirmed by improvements in the fragrance of products with the addition of cinnamon. It has been established that the cinnamon in dough leads to an increase in the elastic properties of gluten, and the more, the more it is added. Along with this, it is noted that cinnamon leads to a decrease in the fermentation intensity of the dough. This is probably due to the active antibacterial properties of cinnamon, which suppress the yeast fermentation activity. These factors and cause the deterioration of the volume of finished products in the case of dosing cinnamon in an amount of 4 % or more. It has been proved that on the indicators of crumbling and deformation of the crumb, products with added cinnamon retain their freshness similarly to the control one. However, it is noted that the introduction of cinnamon reduces the amount of mold of microflora in products.

Advances in synthetic biology of oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica for producing non-native chemicals.

Oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica is an important industrial host for the production of enzymes, oils, fragrances, surfactants, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. More recently, improved synthetic biology tools have allowed more extensive engineering of this yeast species, which lead to the production of non-native metabolites. In this review, we summarize the recent advances of genome editing tools for Y. lipolytica, including the application of CRISPR/Cas9 system and discuss case studies, where Y. lipolytica was engineered to produce various non-native chemicals: short-chain fatty alcohols and alkanes as biofuels, polyunsaturated fatty acids for nutritional and pharmaceutical applications, polyhydroxyalkanoates and dicarboxylic acids as precursors for biodegradable plastics, carotenoid-type pigments for food and feed, and campesterol as a precursor for steroid drugs.

Occurrence, profile and spatial distribution of UV-filters and musk fragrances in mussels from Portuguese coastline

The increasing production and consumption of Personal Care Products (PCPs), containing UV-filters and musk fragrances, has led to its widespread presence in the aquatic environment which can cause harmful effects to the aquatic organisms due to its intrinsic toxicity. This study aims to evaluate the degree of contamination of wild mussels along the entire Portuguese coastline, continually exposed in their habitat to different contaminants. For this purpose, approximately 1000 mussel specimens were sampled during one year in seven different locations, along the Portuguese coastline. Simultaneous quantification of five UV-filters and seven musks in mussels was achieved by a Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction procedure combined with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis.Ten out of the twelve target analytes were found in the analysed samples, highlighting the presence of AHTN (tonalide), EHS (2-ethylhexylsalicylate) and EHMC (2-ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate) in all positive samples (93%).Overall, the results obtained indicate a widespread contamination of wild mussels along Portuguese coastline, all over the year. UV-filters were more frequently detected (90%) than musk fragrances (70%) and also quantified at higher levels, with average total concentrations reaching 1155.8 ng/g (dw) against 397.7 ng/g (dw) respectively. A high correlation was observed between the most densely populated and industrialized locations and the higher levels of musks and UV-filters found. In other hand, lower levels of PCPs were found in protected areas. As expected, an increase in UV-filters levels was observed after the summer, likely due to the intense period of recreational activities.

PENGARUH RELATIONSHIP MARKETING DAN RELATIONSHIP QUALITY TERHADAP LOYALITAS PELANGGAN DENGAN KEPUASAN PELANGGAN SEBAGAI VARIABEL INTERVENING PADA PRODUK PARFUM MULEGH DI PURWOKERTO

The research entitled �The Influence of Relationship Marketing and Relationship Quality Towards Customer Loyalty with Customer Satisfaction as The Intervening Variable on Mulleg Perfume Product in Purwokerto� aims to determine the impact of relationship marketing and relationship quality towards customer satisfaction and customer loyalty and to determine whether customer satisfaction could become the intervening variable. The hypothesis of this research is the relationship marketing has negative effect towards customer satisfaction, the relationship marketing has positive effect towards customer loyalty, the relationship quality has positively effect towards customer satisfaction, the relationship quality has positively effect towards the customer loyalty, and the customer loyalty could be able to mediate the influence of relationship marketing and relationship quality toward customer loyalty.� The analysis method that used on this research is the structural equation modeling.The results show that the relationship marketing has positive and significant effect towards customer satisfaction. It will increase the customer satisfaction of Mulleg Aromatic perfume product in Purwokerto. The relationship quality has positive and significant effect towards customer satisfaction, so it will increase the customer satisfaction of Mulleg Aromatic perfume product in Purwokerto. The relationship marketing has positive and significant effect towards customer loyalt. It will increase the customer loyalty of Mulleg Aromatic perfume product in Purwokerto. The relationship quality has positive and significant effect towards the customer loyalty. The Customer Satisfaction has positive and significant effect towards customer loyalty. The customer satisfaction could mediate the influence of relationship marketing towards the customer loyalty on Mulleg Aromatic perfume product in Purwokerto. The customer satisfaction could mediate the influence of relationship quality towards the customer loyalty of Mulleg Aromatic perfume product in Purwokerto.�Keywords : Relationship Marketing , Relationship Quality , Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty�

Exposures and effects from fragranced consumer products in Sweden

Fragranced consumer products—such as cleaning supplies, perfume, and air fresheners—have been associated with indoor air pollutants and adverse human health effects. Through a nationally representative population-based survey, this study investigates sources and risks associated with exposure to fragranced consumer products in Sweden. It examines the frequency and types of fragranced product use, associated health effects, exposure situations, knowledge of product emissions, and preferences for fragrance-free policies and indoor environments. Data were collected in July 2017 using an online survey of adults (n = 1100), representative of age, gender, and region in Sweden. Across the Swedish population, 33.1% report health problems, such as respiratory difficulties (20.0%), migraine headaches (16.1%), and asthma attacks (5.5%), when exposed to fragranced products. Of these reports, 24.2% could be considered potentially disabling. While 98.5% use fragranced products at least once a week, 70.9% were unaware that fragranced products, even ones called green and organic, can emit potentially hazardous air pollutants. Importantly, 6.7% of the population lost workdays or a job, in the past year, due to exposure to fragranced products in the workplace. Also, 18.1% enter and then leave a business as quickly as possible due to air fresheners or a fragranced product. A strong majority of the population would prefer that workplaces, health care facilities and professionals, airplanes, and hotels were fragrance-free rather than fragranced. Results from this study provide new and important evidence that exposure to fragranced consumer products is pervasive in Sweden, that these exposures are associated with adverse health and societal effects, and that reducing exposures such as through fragrance-free policies can provide benefits to air quality and public health.

Two-dimensional analysis provides molecular insight into flower scent of Lilium \u2018Siberia\u2019

Lily is a popular flower around the world not only because of its elegant appearance, but also due to its appealing scent. Little is known about the regulation of the volatile compound biosynthesis in lily flower scent. Here, we conducted an approach combining two-dimensional analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to explore candidate genes regulating flower scent production. In the approach, changes of flower volatile emissions and corresponding gene expression profiles at four flower developmental stages and four circadian times were both captured by GC-MS and RNA-seq methods. By overlapping differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) that responded to flower scent changes in flower development and circadian rhythm, 3,426 DEGs were initially identified to be candidates for flower scent production, of which 1,270 were predicted as transcriptional factors (TFs). The DEGs were further correlated to individual flower volatiles by WGCNA. Finally, 37, 41 and 90 genes were identified as candidate TFs likely regulating terpenoids, phenylpropanoids and fatty acid derivatives productions, respectively. Moreover, by WGCNA several genes related to auxin, gibberellins and ABC transporter were revealed to be responsible for flower scent production. Thus, this strategy provides an important foundation for future studies on the molecular mechanisms involved in floral scent production.

Performance and Combustion Characteristics Analysis of Multi-Cylinder CI Engine Using Essential Oil Blends

Essential oils are derived from not-fatty parts of plants and are mostly used in aromatherapy, as well as cosmetics and perfume production. The essential oils market is growing rapidly due to their claimed health benefits. However, because only therapeutic grade oil is required in the medicinal sector, there is a substantial low-value waste stream of essential oils that can be used in the transportation and agricultural sectors. This study investigated the influence of orange, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil on engine performance and combustion characteristics of a multi-cylinder compression ignition engine. Orange, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil were blended with diesel at 10% by volume. For benchmarking, neat diesel and 10% waste cooking biodiesel-diesel blend were also tested. The selected fuels were used to conduct engine test runs with a constant engine speed (1500 RPM (revolutions per minute)) at four loads. As the load increased, frictional power losses decreased for all of the fuel samples and thus mechanical efficiency increased. At higher loads (75% and 100%), only orange oil-diesel blends produced comparable power to diesel and waste cooking biodiesel-diesel blends. Fuel consumption (brake and indicated) for the essential oil-diesel blends was higher when compared to base diesel and waste cooking biodiesel-diesel blends. Thermal efficiency for the essential oil-diesel blends was comparable to base diesel and waste cooking biodiesel-diesel blends. At higher loads, blow-by was lower for essential oil blends as compared to base diesel and waste cooking biodiesel-diesel blends. At 50% and 100% load, peak pressure was lower for all of the essential oil-diesel blends when compared to base diesel and waste cooking biodiesel-diesel blends. From the heat release rate curve, the essential oil-diesel blends ignition delay times were longer because the oils have lower cetane values. Overall, the low-value streams of these essential oils were found to be suitable for use in diesel engines at 10% blends by agricultural producers of these oils.

Vacuum Ultraviolet Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry: A Tandem Detection Approach for Improved Identification of Gas Chromatography-Eluting Compounds.

For wide class characterizations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), conventional gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based techniques are utilized. These GC-MS-based chemical identification approaches typically rely on library searches against ion fragmentation patterns of known compounds. Although MS library searches can often provide correct chemical identities, erroneous chemical assignments of structurally similar unknown compounds are also possible. Other detection systems, such as absorption spectrometers, have been used for VOC analysis and can provide complementary absorption data. Here, we demonstrate the analytical advantages of coupling vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) absorption spectroscopy and MS in tandem for the improved characterization of structurally similar VOCs. We also discuss technical considerations and limitations of coupling a VUV spectrometer to a quadrupole mass spectrometer. Moreover, we show that combining the isomer selectivity of VUV spectroscopy, as a nondestructive analyte detection approach, with the mass selectivity of MS in a VUV-MS detection system improves characterization of GC-eluting compounds. Utilizing GC/VUV-MS data, we demonstrate that orthogonal VUV and MS library searches improve identification of VOCs present in complex mixtures such as a mixed standard sample, a commercial perfume product, and an essential oil sample.

Chemical compositions of essential oils from two Artemisia species used in Mongolian traditional medicine

Essential oils of aromatic and medicinal plants generally have a diverse range of activities because they possess many active constituents that work through a several modes of action. Artemisia, the largest genus of the family Asteraceae, has a number of effects against human and plant diseases. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate chemical compositions of essential oils of two Artemisia species, Artemisia palustris L and Artemisia sericea Weber ex Stechm from the Mongolian steppe zone using gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The essential oil of A.palustris was characterized by the presence of monoterpene hydrocarbons such as trans-β-ocimene (59.1%), cis-β-ocimene (11.6%) and myrcene (7.1%), while the oil of A.sericea was dominated by the presence of three oxygenated monoterpenoids as 1,8-cineole (25.8%), borneol (22.5%) and camphor (18.8%) which are used for preparation of a fragrance and medicinal products.

Thermodynamic affinity‐based considerations for the rational selection of biphasic systems for microbial flavor and fragrance production

AbstractBACKGROUNDFlavor and fragrance (F&F) compounds are increasingly produced by biotechnological instead of chemical means, as this allows them to be labeled natural additives. However, since most F&F compounds exhibit cytotoxicity towards common microbiological production hosts, in situ product removal strategies using two‐phase partitioning bioreactors are desirable, making the rational selection of effective non‐aqueous phases a crucial step. Here, thermodynamic first‐principles methods and the experimental determination of partition coefficients were used to differentiate between sequestering phases with high and low thermodynamic affinity towards 17 important F&F compounds.RESULTSThe approach was highly successful, enabling identification of outstanding extractants for several F&F compounds. Moreover, it was shown that certain solvent classes (e.g. long‐chained alcohols and a variety of esters) function as efficient sequestering phases across all classes of target F&F compounds, whereas other solvent types (such as alkanes), and the liquid polymer silicone oil exhibit poor partitioning behavior. Finally, the tested absorptive solid polymers generally did not constitute effective sequestering phases for the target compounds, due to high fractions of hard/crystalline segments, however, this suggests that designing polymers with a higher proportion of soft segment could lead to enhanced sorptive capacity.CONCLUSIONSThis study is the first in the current literature to systematically analyze sequestering phase choices for important F&F compounds and can serve as a guide for researchers working on biphasic microbial F&F production. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry

Extraction and Formulation of Perfume from Locally Available Lemon Grass Leaves

The availability of wild plants and their use as economically efficient sources of food for man and animals is obvious. In most parts of Nigeria, plant materials whose edible use is not established are regarded as waste materials. Available materials like lemon grass leaves that contain essential oils can be utilized in the production of perfumes that can mask body odours. Lemon grass extracts obtained using soxhlet extraction and solvent extraction (maceration) were utilized in the formulation of perfume using methanol and ethanol as solvent media. An oil yield of 4.5% and 3.8% were obtained for solvent extraction and soxhlet extraction methods respectively. Physicochemical properties of the two formulations revealed that the essential oil has saponification value of 21.04mgKOH/g and the densities of the two formulations in methanol and ethanol were 0.768gcm -3 and 0.82gcm -3 at 60 o c while the boiling point for both formulations was 85o. The essential oil can be profitably used for cosmetic grade and perfume formulations. Keywords : Essential oil, Extraction, Perfume, Physicochemical Parameters

Impact of the Trivedi Effect ®- Energy of Consciousness Healing on Growth and Yield of the Plant Stem Cells Culture

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Biofield Energy Healing Treatment on the plant callus of Mandukparni (Centella asiatica), Katsarika (Barleria cristata), and Amla (Phyllanthus emblica) in Murashige & Skoog liquid medium (MS) for their yield on day 7. All the three plant callus and MS liquid media were divided into two parts, one part was received Biofield Energy Treatment (known as The Trivedi Effect®-Energy Of Consciousness Healing Treatment) by a renowned Biofield Energy Healer, Alice Branton through the Healer’s unique Energy Transmission process remotely and defined as Biofield Energy Treated group. Another part did not receive any treatment and defined as the control group. On day 7 after the treatment, the flasks were observed and visualized under the phase contrast microscope for monitoring the cell growth and photomicrographs were captured at 200X magnification along with the wet weight of the callus cultures. Experimental data suggested that all the three plants viz. Mandukparni, Katsarika, and Amla callus showed significantly improved growth rate after seven days as compared with the respective untreated groups. The growth of the callus (weight in mg) of Mandukparni, Katsarika and Amla callus after 7 days of the Biofield Energy Treatment was 289.7, 348.5, and 512 mg respectively. However, the percentage increase in weight of the callus in Mandukparni, Katsarika, and Amla was 3.3%, 7.7%, and 79.6%, respectively as compared with the untreated group. Hence, the results indicated that there was a significant growth observed after The Trivedi Effect®-Energy of Consciousness Treatment in the tested plant stem cells. It can be concluded that The Trivedi Effect® would be used as a complementary and alternative treatment to maximize most valuable natural products yield and quality best quality such as herbal medicinal plants, food and dietary supplements, flavoring and coloring agents, cosmetics and fragrance products, and many more.

Mature consumers’ relationship with their perfume

Glamorous and stylish, perfume is an evocative product that provokes a stimulus of the senses. The use of perfume is recognised as a significant part of daily grooming for many women. It is suggested that the basis for consumer choice for this product should be based on olfactory preference, however the process related decision-making has been shown to be more complex. The mature consumer purchase decision making in this product category is often associated with long standing, established, luxury fragrance brands. In addition, at the frontline of the perfume sales process are fragrance consultants. With direct contact to the consumer, these ‘brand ambassadors’ possess invaluable information on consumer involvement with perfume products and brands. Hence, this paper investigates CBR (consumer brand relationship) and the subsequent perfume purchase behaviour of mature female consumers (age +44) from a dual (industry and consumer) perspective. Results indicate that important perceptual differences related to brand relationships with perfume exist between fragrance consultants and experts on one hand and consumers on the other. This research promotes a deeper understanding of current consumer approach and issues surrounding female mature purchasing behaviour for this unique category of product, and, complements the growing body of literature related to luxury brands.

Specialized metabolic pathways: Cues controlling floral scent and color production

Specialized metabolic pathways: Cues controlling floral scent and color production

Variation in Yield and Composition of Perilla frutescens Essential Oil Across Altitudinal Gradients in the Indian Himalayan Region

The production and consumption of essential oils and perfumes are increasing very fast. As a result, there is an improvement of the overall yield and quality of essential oils. The production technologies pertaining to essential oil processing are of great significance and are still being used in many parts of the world. The present study was conducted on the biochemical analysis of active principles in the essential oil composition of mature leaves of Perilla frutescens cultivated in three different village clusters, i.e. Udaibag, Dharkot and Papradi along altitudinal gradients in the Indian Himalayan region. Twelve active compounds were identified in this investigation, the composition of which varied greatly with the altitude. Perillaketone (17.5–62%) and Iso-egomaketone (29.8–32.8%) were the dominant active principles identified using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy. Correlation coefficients emphasized that the altitudinal trends in environmental variables influenced the essential oil content and its composition. The variations in the composition and yield of the essential oil may be attributed to the existence of chemotype and would be helpful for identification of principal component across the altitudinal gradients in the Himalayan region.

Identification of differentially expressed genes in flower, leaf and bulb scale of Lilium oriental hybrid \u2018Sorbonne\u2019 and putative control network for scent genes

BackgroundLily is an economically important plant, with leaves and bulbs consisting of overlapping scales, large ornamental flowers and a very large genome. Although it is recognized that flowers and bulb scales are modified leaves, very little is known about the genetic control and biochemical differentiation underlying lily organogenesis and development. Here we examined the differentially expressed genes in flower, leaf and scale of lily, using RNA-sequencing, and identified organ-specific genes, including transcription factors, genes involved in photosynthesis in leaves, carbohydrate metabolism in bulb scales and scent and color production in flowers.ResultsOver 11Gb data were obtained and 2685, 2296, and 1709 differentially expressed genes were identified in the three organs, with 581, 662 and 977 unique DEGs in F-vs-S, L-vs-S and L-vs-F comparisons. By functional enrichment analysis, genes likely to be involved in biosynthetic pathways leading to floral scent production, such as 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS), 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase (KAT), hydroperoxide lyase (HPL), geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) 4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl diphosphate (HDS) and terpene synthase (TPS), and floral color genes, such as dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), flavonol synthase (FLS) were identified. Distinct groups of genes that participate in starch and sucrose metabolism, such as sucrose synthase (SS), invertase (INV), sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), starch synthase (SSS), starch branching enzyme (SBE), ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGP) andβ-amylase (BAM) and photosynthesis genes (Psa, Psb, Pet and ATP) were also identified. The expression of six floral fragrance-related DGEs showed agreement between qRT-PCR results and RPKM values, confirming the value of the data obtained by RNA-seq. We obtained the open reading frame of the terpene synthase gene from Lilium ‘Sorbonne’, designated LsTPS, which had 99.55% homology to transcript CL4520.Contig5_All. In addition, 54, 48 and 50 differently expressed transcription factor were identified by pairwise comparisons between the three organs and a regulatory network for monoterpene biosynthesis was constructed.ConclusionsAnalysis of differentially expressed genes in flower, leaf and bulb scale of lily, using second generation sequencing technology, yielded detailed information on lily metabolic differentiation in three organs. Analysis of the expression of flower scent biosynthesis genes has provided a model for the regulation of the pathway and identified a candidate gene encoding an enzyme catalyzing the final step in scent production. These digital gene expression profiles provide a valuable and informative database for the further identification and analysis of structural genes and transcription factors in different lily organs and elucidation of their function.

Floral micromorphology and transcriptome analyses of a fragrant Vandaceous Orchid, Vanda Mimi Palmer, for its fragrance production sites

BackgroundVanda Mimi Palmer (VMP) is commercially valuable for its strong fragrance but little is known regarding the fragrance production and emission sites on the flowers.ResultsOlfactory perception detected fragrance only from the petals and sepals. Light and Environmental Scanning Electron microscopy analyses on fresh tissues showed distributions of stomata and trichomes concentrated mostly around the edges. These results paralleled the rich starch deposits and intense neutral red stain, indicating strong fragrance and trichomes as potential main fragrance release sites. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) transcriptomic data of adaxial and abaxial layers of the tissues showed monoterpene synthase transcripts specifically linalool and ocimene synthases distributed throughout the tissues. qPCR analyses taken at different time points revealed high levels of linalool and ocimene synthases transcripts in the early morning with maximal level at 4.00 am but remained low throughout daylight hours.ConclusionsKnowledge of the VMP floral anatomy and its fragrance production characteristics, which complemented our previous molecular and biochemical data on VMP, provided additional knowledge on how fragrance and flower morphology are closely intertwined. Further investigation on the mechanisms of fragrance biosynthesis and interaction of potential pollinators would elucidate the evolution of the flower morphology to maximize the reproduction success of this plant.

Something in the Air but Not on the Label: A Call for Increased Regulatory Ingredient Disclosure for Fragranced Consumer Products

[Extract] Between time devoted to the workplace and the home, Australians spend more than 90 per cent of their time indoors. Various legal instruments exist for the purpose of regulating the air we breathe when outdoors. However, the majority of exposure to hazardous air pollutants occurs indoors – and a main source of exposure is through common, fragranced consumer products such as cleaning products, laundry supplies, air fresheners, cosmetics, and personal care products. Fragranced products such as these are ubiquitous on supermarket shelves and in homes. However, recent research indicates that one-third of Australians report experiencing adverse effects such as respiratory problems, asthma attacks, migraine headaches and dermatological problems as a result of exposure to fragranced consumer products. These effects can be severe, resulting in significant losses in productivity as a result of adverse health effects. This is particularly concerning given that an estimated 98.5 percent of the Australian population is exposed to fragranced consumer products on at least a weekly basis, either through their own use, others’ use or both. Indeed, evidence suggests that more than two-thirds of Australians are unaware that fragranced products can emit hazardous air pollutants. Though some consumers might seek to ensure the safety of the products they buy by looking for fragranced products labelled as ‘natural’ or ‘organic’, research shows that emissions from these products pose similar health risks.

Sustainable Protocol for Benzylic -CH2Oxidation with Dioxygen to Phenones Using AuNPs@ Resin Beads

Lately, synthesis of acetophenone from alkyl substituted benzene via a selective oxidation process has become a topic of specific interest because acetophenone is an essential raw material for the production of pharmaceuticals, perfumes, alcohols, esters and aldehydes. Nanogold has emerged as an efficient catalyst for selective oxidation reactions. Herein, we present supported AuNPs (2-5 nm) catalysed C−H oxidation of alkyl substituted benzenes with molecular oxygen as green oxidant at atmospheric pressure. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) used for analysis of reaction mixture showed high conversion (> 98%) and high selectivity (99% ) for acetophenone with a Turn over number of 2579. The catalyst displayed good stability (thermal and chemical) and recyclability. The generality of the protocol was tested for the oxidation of a number of substituted ethylbenzene derivatives and other CH2 bonded molecules.

Cultivating Beauty and Good Taste

Imagine a world where desirable traits are easily programmable. Farmers can select to grow plant varieties that both surprise and delight even the most sophisticated taste buds. Nutrient content and crop yields are improved to fight hunger and malnutrition in vulnerable populations. Vibrant floral varieties can be grown in your home garden that not only exhibit optimized fragrance profiles, but also emit their lovely aromas in robust and conveniently timed bursts. With modern plant genomics offering unprecedented access to the genetic basis of phenotypes and with gene editing technologies allowing precision modulation, such a far-fetched, sci-fi reality might actually be within foreseeable reach.