SOME NOVEL MEATLIKE AROMA COMPOUNDS FROM THE REACTIONS OF ALKANEDIONES WITH HYDROGEN-SULFIDE AND FURANTHIOLS

The products of reactions of hydrogen sulfide with 2,3-butanedione and with 2,3-pentanedione in dilute ethanolic solution were analyzed by C C-MS and CC-odor port analysis. Components were also collected from th e GC column and analyzed by H-1 NMR. Mercaptoketones were formed which readily oxidized to the corresponding disulfides with traces of mono- and trisulfides. When 2-methyl-3-furanthiol or 2-furylmethanethiol wa s added to the reaction mixtures, a series of disulfides containing al kanone, 2-methyl-3-furyl and 2-furanmethyl moieties were formed. Some of these compounds have been found recently in the volatiles of cooked meat and in meatlike model systems. GC-odor port evaluation of the co mponents of the reaction systems showed that disulfides containing the 2-methyl-3-furyl group had meaty aromas, whereas those without this g roup were sulfurous or onion-like in character.