Methyl substituted-2-oxohexane derivatives and processes for preparing and using same

Described are methods for augmenting or enhancing the aroma of perfumes and perfumed articles by adding thereto perfume aroma augmenting or enhancing quantities of novel methyl substituted-2-oxohexane derivatives produced by dimerizing isoamylene (2-methyl-2-butene) and then oxidizing the resulting product using formic acid and hydrogen peroxide; and optionally reacting the resulting product with a methyl Grignard reagent such as methyl magnesium chloride followed by hydrolysis; as well as perfume compositions, colognes and perfumed articles including solid or liquid anionic, cationic, nonionic or zwitterionic detergents, fabric softener compositions, hair preparations, perfumed polymers and deodorant compositions as well as bleaching compositions containing same. Also covered is the genus of compounds defined according to the structure: wherein R1 and R2 taken together represent oxygen; or wherein, taken separately, R1 is hydroxyl and R2 is methyl or R1 is oxymagnesium halide and R2 is methyl; and wherein R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 represent hydrogen or methyl with the provisos that: (i) the sum total of carbon atoms in R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 is three; (ii) when R7 is methyl, then R5 and R6 are both methyl, and (iii) when either R3 or R4 is methyl, then R7 is hydrogen.