Can the electron-accepting properties of odorants be involved in their recognition by the olfactory system?

The present study examines the possible importance of the electron-accepting properties of odorant molecules and, in particular, the formation and decay of temporary negative ions via low-energy electron attachment, as a possible contribution towards understanding odorant recognition by olfactory receptors (OR). Fragments formed by dissociative electron attachment (DEA) of mustard oil odorants represented by a series of isothiocyanates are studied experimentally using DEA spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Relative intensities for the most abundant fragment species, S– and SCN–, are found to be characteristic for structurally similar odorants under investigation. This novel approach for the investigation of odorants may contribute to understanding the initial stages of the olfactory process and may provide a means to distinguish between odorants and their interactions with the olfactory receptor system.