Musk odorants are indispensable in perfumery to lend sensuality to fine fragrances, a nourishing effect to cosmetics, and a comforting feeling to laundry.[1] Due to a certain phototoxicity of nitro musks, and the lack of biodegradation of polycyclic musks,[1] the two most important musk families at present are macrocycles 1–5 (Figure 1), derived from the natural lead muscone (1), and linear alicyclic musks such as 6–7, the odor of which has ...
