β-Santalol is an

organic compound Some chemical authorities define an organic compound as a chemical compound that contains a carbon–hydrogen or carbon–carbon bond; others consider an organic compound to be any chemical compound that contains carbon. For example, carbon-co ...

that is classified as a

sesquiterpene Sesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units and often have the molecular formula C15H24. Like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes may be cyclic or contain rings, including many combinations. Biochemical modifications s ...

. It comprises about 20% of the oil of

sandalwood Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus ''Santalum''. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods. Sanda ...

, the major component being

α-santalol α-Santalol (''alpha''-santalol) is an organic compound that is classified as a sesquiterpene. It comprises about 55% of the oil of sandalwood, another less abundant component being β-santalol. As of 2002, about 60 tons of sandalwood oil ar ...

. In 2002, about 60 tons of sandalwood oil were produced by steam distillation of the heartwood of ''

Santalum album ''Santalum album'' is a small tropical tree, and the traditional source of sandalwood oil. It is native to Indonesia (Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands), the Philippines, and Western Australia. It is commonly known as the true sandalwood, white ...

''.Karl-Georg Fahlbusch, Franz-Josef Hammerschmidt, Johannes Panten, Wilhelm Pickenhagen, Dietmar Schatkowski, Kurt Bauer, Dorothea Garbe, Horst Surburg "Flavors and Fragrances" in ''Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry'', Wiley-VCH, Weinheim: 2002. Published online: 15 January 2003; . Because of concerns about the sustainability of sandalwood tree cultivation, scientists have developed routes to

and β-santalol via fermentation, including using '' Rhodobacter sphaeroides''. BASF launched its version under their Isobionics brand in July 2020.

References

Perfume ingredients Primary alcohols Sesquiterpenes Bicyclic compounds {{alcohol-stub