Carvone is a member of a family of chemicals called terpenoids.[2] Carvone is found naturally in many essential oils, but is most abundant in the oils from seeds of caraway (Carum carvi), spearmint (Mentha spicata), and dill.[3]
Carvone forms two mirror image forms or enantiomers: R-(–)-carvone smells like spearmint leaves. Its mirror image, S-(+)-carvone, smells like caraway seeds.[4] The fact that the two enantiomers are perceived as smelling different is evidence that olfactory receptors must contain chiral groups, allowing them to respond more strongly to one enantiomer than to the other. Not all enantiomers have distinguishable odors. Squirrel monkeys have also been found to be able to discriminate between carvone enantiomers.[5]
The two forms are also referred to by the older names of laevo (L) referring to R-(–)-carvone, and dextro (D) referring to S-(+)-carvone.
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