Simonellite (1,1-dimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-7-isopropyl phenanthrene) is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon with a chemical formula C₁₉H₂₄. It is similar to retene. Simonellite occurs naturally as an organic mineral derived from diterpenes present in

conifer Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All ex ...

resins. It is named after its discoverer,

Vittorio Simonelli Vittorio Simonelli (May 1860, in Arezzo – 9 February 1929, in San Quirico d'Orcia) was an Italian geologist and paleontologist. Biography He studied natural sciences at the University of Pisa as a pupil of Giuseppe Meneghini. From 1883 he ta ...

(1860–1929), an Italian

geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, alt ...

. It forms colorless to white orthorhombic crystals.Simonellite
at mindat.org It occurs in Fognano,

Tuscany it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Citizenship , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = Italian , demogra ...

, Italy. Simonellite, together with cadalene, retene and ip-iHMN, is a

biomarker In biomedical contexts, a biomarker, or biological marker, is a measurable indicator of some biological state or condition. Biomarkers are often measured and evaluated using blood, urine, or soft tissues to examine normal biological processes, p ...

of higher plants, which makes it useful for paleobotanic analysis of rock

sediment Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. For example, sa ...

References

{{reflist Organic minerals Phenanthrenes Biomarkers Diterpenes Isopropyl compounds

See also

References