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Citral
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<p>Citral is an acyclic monoterpene aldehyde. Being a <a href="/facts/Monoterpene/6kFBtsXM">monoterpene</a>, it is made of two <a href="/facts/Isoprene_unit/hDD4zF6P">isoprene units</a>. Citral is a collective term which covers two geometric isomers that have their own separate names; the <a href="/facts/E-Z_notation/z9CVaJwH"><i>E</i>-isomer</a> is named geranial (<i>trans</i>-citral; α-citral) or citral A. The <i>Z</i>-isomer is named neral (<i>cis</i>-citral; β-citral) or citral B. These <a href="/facts/Stereoisomer/I3kzlDE8">stereoisomers</a> occur as a mixture, often not in equal proportions; e.g. in essential oil of <a href="/facts/Australian_ginger/L1wBldv9">Australian ginger</a>, the neral to geranial ratio is 0.61. </p>