a hasty response

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Posted by txilar on May 7, 2004 at 18:21:25:

In reply to: What's a terp, chemically? posted by Pierre on May 6, 2004 at 00:15:23:

(Runs into place, panting and wiggle salutes)

A good summation for terpenes is that they are everywhere and make up
lots of stuff. More precise exposes below ;)

Thus spake http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic572.htm:
"Background: Terpenes are a group of unsaturated aliphatic cyclic
hydrocarbons, which, unlike petroleum distillates, are derived from
plants. Their widespread functions range from comprising building
blocks of useful compounds to rubefacients and cleaning substances.
The best-known substances in this group are pine oil, turpentine, and
camphor oil.

They are naturally occurring isometric hydrocarbons, containing
branched 5-carbon ring structures with the general chemical formula
of CnH2n-4.

They are classified in chemical groups depending upon the number of
isoprene units contained. For example, monoterpenes, such as
cantharidin found in Spanish fly or blistering beetle, have a 10-
carbon structure, as does turpentine."

With a cool diagram:
http://www.chemie.fu-berlin.de/chemistry/oc/terpene/terpene_en.html
Which has this lovely in-a-nutshell explanation:
"Terpene hydrocarbons therefore have molecular formulas (C5H8)n, they
are classified according to the number of isoprene units" Thus a
monoterpene has 2 unites of 5 carbons, sesquiterpenes have 3 of 5 and
so on.

Interesting sidenote on isoprene
http://www.colorado.edu/Chemistry/grad/faculty/Fall/lab/isoprene.htm

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: (Runs into place, panting and wiggle salutes) : : A good summation for terpenes is that they are everywhere and make up : lots of stuff. More precise exposes below ;) : : Thus spake http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic572.htm: : "Background: Terpenes are a group of unsaturated aliphatic cyclic : hydrocarbons, which, unlike petroleum distillates, are derived from : plants. Their widespread functions range from comprising building : blocks of useful compounds to rubefacients and cleaning substances. : The best-known substances in this group are pine oil, turpentine, and : camphor oil. : : They are naturally occurring isometric hydrocarbons, containing : branched 5-carbon ring structures with the general chemical formula : of CnH2n-4. : : They are classified in chemical groups depending upon the number of : isoprene units contained. For example, monoterpenes, such as : cantharidin found in Spanish fly or blistering beetle, have a 10- : carbon structure, as does turpentine." : : With a cool diagram: : http://www.chemie.fu-berlin.de/chemistry/oc/terpene/terpene_en.html : Which has this lovely in-a-nutshell explanation: : "Terpene hydrocarbons therefore have molecular formulas (C5H8)n, they : are classified according to the number of isoprene units" Thus a : monoterpene has 2 unites of 5 carbons, sesquiterpenes have 3 of 5 and : so on. : : Interesting sidenote on isoprene : http://www.colorado.edu/Chemistry/grad/faculty/Fall/lab/isoprene.htm
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