Brief Overview:

Camphor exists as a colorless or white powder that is soluble in organic solvents such as alcohol and benzene. In the past, it was extracted from the timber of large trees within the tropical region such as the Cinnamomum Camphora.  However, production of Camphor today is mainly through the distillation of Turpentine. It is widely used as a cooking ingredient in India due to its aromatic fragrance.

Manufacturing Processes:

Synthetic production of Camphor begins with the distillation of Turpentine

where α-Pinene is produced and isomerized. The isomerized α-Pinene is then processed through Esterification and Saponification to produce Iso-Borneol. Subsequently, through the oxidation of Iso-Borneol, Synthetic Camphor is produced.