Compositions comprising odorless 1,2-pentanediol

A method for providing a cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical and/or detergent composition with improved olfactoric performance and stability, comprising or consisting of the following steps:

• (a) providing a cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical composition and
• (b) adding an amount of 1,2-pentanediol, said 1,2-pentanediol being obtained by the following process
• (i) providing at least one starting material selected from furfuryl alcohol and furfural;
• (ii) reacting at least one of said starting materials with hydrogen in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst to form 1,2-pentanediol, wherein said heterogeneous catalyst comprises:
• one or more metals selected from the group consisting of platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, nickel, palladium and iridium in metallic form and/or
• one or more compounds of metals selected from the group consisting of platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, nickel, palladium and iridium;
• and
• one or more support materials selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, and silicon carbide;
• and
• (iii) removing the 1,2-pentanediol thus obtained from the reaction mixture.

A method comprising using 1,2-pentanediol as an additive for making cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical and/or detergent compositions with improved olfactory performance and stability, whereby said 1,2-pentanediol is obtained by the following process

• (i) providing at least one starting material selected from furfuryl alcohol and furfural;
• (ii) reacting at least one of said starting materials with hydrogen in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst to form 1,2-pentanediol, wherein said heterogeneous catalyst comprises:
• one or more metals selected from the group consisting of platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, nickel, palladium and iridium in metallic form and/or
• one or more compounds of metals selected from the group consisting of platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, nickel, palladium and iridium;
• and
• one or more support materials selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, and silicon carbide;
• and
• (iii) removing the 1,2-pentanediol thus obtained from the reaction mixture.