Structural changes on citronellol induced by gamma radiation

Abstract

Structural changes in pure citronellol after exposure to different doses of gamma radiation were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques and molecular modelling methods. The citronellol samples were irradiated in an MPX-g30 installation ( 60 Co, E ¼ 1.25 MeV), absorbing in a dose range from 1.45 to 10.02 kGy. Citronellal and hydroxycitronellal compounds were detected in the irradiated samples. Some mechanisms of radiolytic transformations for citronellol were proposed and modelled at semiempirical quantum chemical level. These results provide the basis for the possible development of new synthetic pathways for close structurally related compounds, based on the use of gamma irradiation.