Molecular similarity studies on sandalwood odour molecules: Investigations of the conformational space

Summary Odour differences of some campholene and fencholene derivatives are explained by the analysis of the conformational space and the molecular shape of these molecules. The high flexibility caused by free rotation of some carbon-carbon bonds leads in one case to a large number of energetically possible conformations which have to be taken into account for a study of molecular similarity. In another case, steric restrictions reduce the number of relevant conformations such that no active conformation exists in a thermodynamic equilibrium.Conformational Calculations on Sandalwood Odour XII; for part XI, see Ref. 1]