Nerol has broad application prospects and the production process needs to be improved urgently
Nerolidol, also known as β-citronol, is a natural aromatic compound and an isomer of geraniol. Under normal conditions, nerolidol mainly appears as a colorless oily liquid with a sweet flavor of rose and orange blossom. The aroma of nerolidol is more premium than that of geraniol, and it is more widely used in the aroma product industry than geraniol. Natural nerolidol and its ester compounds are widely found in various plants and plant extracts. Lemons, oranges, grapefruits, lavender oil, neroli oil, rose oil and other products contain large amounts of nerolidol.
According to different sources, nerolidol can be divided into two types: natural nerolidol and synthetic nerolidol. Natural nerolidol is mainly derived from plant essential oils. my country’s plant extraction technology is relatively mature. However, the production cost of using natural plant essential oils as raw materials is too high. Therefore, the mainstream product on the market is synthetic nerolidol.
Industrial preparation and synthesis of nerolidol mainly uses β-pinene in turpentine as raw material for chemical synthesis. β-Pinene is pyrolyzed to myrcene at a high temperature of 600 degrees, and then undergoes catalysis, esterification, saponification, distillation and other processes to produce synthetic nerolidol. This method has many steps, complex operations, long production cycle, and high production cost. At present, academic circles are studying the synthesis of nerolidol through the isomerization reaction of linalool or the selective reduction of citral using linalool or citral as raw materials. However, the isomerization reaction of linalool is a reversible reaction, and the conversion rate Low and prone to side effects. The production process of nerolidol needs further improvement and innovation.
According to the “2023-2028 China Nerol Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report released by the Industrial Research Center, Nerolidol has obvious antibacterial activity and can inhibit the synthesis of ergosterol, the main component of the cell membrane, destroy the integrity of the cell membrane, change the permeability of the cell membrane, and cause cell death. Therefore, nerolidol has a good inhibitory effect on fungi and bacteria. . Nerol solution has a high bactericidal rate and can be used as a potential antibacterial drug to treat fungal infections and other symptoms.
Neroli has a pleasant aroma and has the effect of soothing the central nervous system. It is favored by the daily chemical products industry and is widely used in daily consumer products such as shampoo, soap, toilet supplies, air deodorants, household cleaners, insect repellents, etc. In the field of flavors and fragrances, nerolidol is mainly used to prepare fruit flavors such as strawberries, raspberries and citrus. At the same time, nerolidol has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a food additive.
Industry analysts said that there are currently a large number of nerol production companies in my country, including Hubei Jusheng Technology and Henan Weitixi Chemical Industry Technology, Jiangxi Baolin Natural Flavors, Chengdu Phytolabeled Pure Biotechnology, Guangzhou Hewei Pharmaceutical Technology, etc. The overall structure of the nerol market is fragmented and the market concentration is not high. There is currently no leading company that leads the development of the industry.