(S)-(+)-Carvone

August 21, 2006
Image of (S)-(+)-Carvone

The nose knows. (S)-(+)-carvone (shown here), a naturally occurring compound found in caraway seeds and mandarin orange peel oil, smells like caraway. Its mirror image, (R)-(–)-carvone, is extracted from spearmint and kuromoji oils and smells like spearmint. Gingergrass oil contains a mixture of both enantiomers.

Chemical Abstract Service - a division of ACS

Learn more about this molecule from CAS, the most authoritative and comprehensive source for chemical information.

Molecule of the Week needs your suggestions!

If your favorite molecule is not in our archive, please send us a message. The molecule can be notable for its current or historical importance or for any quirky reason. Thank you!

Stay Ahead of the Chemistry Curve

Learn how ACS can help you stay ahead in the world of chemistry.