dl-Limonene has a pleasant, lemon-like odor free from campho raceous and turpentine-like notes. The most important and wide spread terpene; it is known in the d- and ι- optically active forms and in the optically inactive dl-iovm (known as dipentene); it has
been reported found in more than 300 essential oils in amounts
ranging from 90 - 95% (lemon, orange, mandarin) to as low as
1% (palmarosa); the most widespread form is the d-limonene,
followed by the racemic form, and then ι-limonene.
