Ambroxide, widely known by the brand name Ambroxan, is a naturally occurring terpenoid and one of the key constituents responsible for the odor of ambergris. It is an autoxidation product of ambrein. Ambroxide is used in perfumery for creating ambergris notes and as a fixative. Ambroxide has a scent with woody, musky and slightly salty nuances. Small amounts (< 0.01 ppm) are used as a flavoring in food.The FDA has approved the addition of ambroxide to food as a flavoring agent.

The aroma is described as (characteristically) ambergris, sweet, labdanum, dry, woody, pine, cedar, green, and seedy.

Ambroxide is highly tenacious and substantive. It clings to skin, fabric, and hard surfaces and persists for many hours, which is the basis of its role as a fixative. These properties make the molecule valuable both as a featured ingredient and as a behind-the-scenes performance booster. The most prominent use of ambroxide is in fine fragrance, where it serves simultaneously as a base note and a fixative.

Synthesis

Ambroxide is synthesized from sclareol, a component of the essential oil of clary sage. Sclareol is oxidatively degraded to a lactone, which is hydrogenated to the corresponding diol. The resulting compound is dehydrated to form ambroxide.

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