Civetone is a macrocyclic ketone and the main odorous constituent of civet oil.The Merck Index, 15th Ed. (2013), p. 418, Monograph 2334, O'Neil: The Royal Society of Chemistry. Available online at: http://www.rsc.org/Merck-Index/monograph/mono1500002334 It is a pheromone sourced from the African civet. It has a strong musky odor that becomes pleasant at extreme dilutions.Bedoukian, Paul Z. "Perfumery and Flavoring Synthetics", 2nd ed., p. 248, Elsevier, New York, 1967. Civetone is closely related to muscone, the principal odoriferous compound found in musk; the structure of both compounds was elucidated by Leopold Ružička. Today, civetone can be synthesized from precursor chemicals found in palm oil.
Uses Civetone is a synthetic musk used as a perfume fixative and flavor. Its aroma is described as "clean, musk, dry, animal, sweet".
In order to attract jaguars to camera traps, field biologists have used the Calvin Klein-brand male cologne Obsession. It is believed that the civetone in the cologne resembles a territorial marking.
See also 5-Cyclohexadecenone, a related musk chemical
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