Civetone is a macrocyclic ketone and the main odorous constituent of civet oil. It is a pheromone sourced from the African civet. It has a strong musky odor that becomes pleasant at extreme dilutions. Civetone is closely related to muscone, the principal odoriferous compound found in musk; the structure of both compounds was elucidated by Leopold Ružička. Today, civetone can be synthesized from precursor chemicals found in palm oil.

Uses

Civetone is a synthetic musk used as a perfume fixative and flavor. In order to attract jaguars to camera traps, field biologists have used the Calvin Klein-brand male cologne Obsession. It is believed that the civetone in the cologne resembles a territorial marking.