Civetone is a macrocyclic ketone and the main odorous constituent of civet oil.[1] It is a pheromone sourced from the African civet. It has a strong musky odor that becomes pleasant at extreme dilutions.[2] Civetone is closely related to muscone, the principal odoriferous compound found in musk; the structure of both compounds was elucidated by Leopold Ružička.[3] Today, civetone can be synthesized from precursor chemicals found in palm oil.[4]
In order to attract jaguars to camera traps, field biologists have used the Calvin Klein-brand male cologneObsession. It is believed that the civetone in the cologne resembles a territorial marking.[5]
^Yuen-May Choo, Kay-Eng Ooi and Ing-Hong Ooi (August 1994). "Synthesis of civetone from palm oil products". Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 71 (8). Springer Berlin / Heidelberg: 911–913. doi:10.1007/bf02540473. ISSN0003-021X. S2CID85189919.