Comparative Analysis of the Olfactory Properties of Silicon/Germanium/Tin Analogues of the Lily-of-the-Valley Odorants Lilial and Bourgeonal

The silicon/germanium/tin analogues of the lily‐of‐the‐valley odorants lilial (rac‐1 a), compounds rac‐1 b, rac‐1 c, and rac‐1 d, and bourgeonal (2 a), compounds 2 b, 2 c, and 2 d, were synthesized and characterized for their olfactory properties, including GC–olfactometry studies. Compounds rac‐1 a–c and 2 a–c possess a typical lily‐of‐the‐valley odor, whereas the stanna‐analogues rac‐1 d and 2 d, despite some floral aspects, clearly no longer belong to the lily‐of‐the‐valley family. In both series of the carbon/silicon/germanium/tin analogues studied, the lily‐of‐the‐valley odor decreases in the order of carbon