Smoking composition comprising flavour precursor

Abstract

A smoking composition comprises an aerosol-forming substrate and a flavour precursor compound. Upon heating, the precursor compound releases a thiol-containing flavour compound or intermediate that enhances the flavour experience of the aerosol- forming substrate when used in a smoking article. The smoking article may include tobacco and may be configured to heat, but not combust, the tobacco.

1 . A smoking article comprising:
 an aerosol forming substrate;   a heating element configured to heat, but not combust, the aerosol forming substrate;   a flavour precursor compound added to the aerosol forming substrate, wherein the flavour precursor compound releases at thiol-containing flavour compound upon heating of the aerosol forming substrate by the heating element.   
     
     
         2 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the thiol-containing flavour compound is hydrogen sulphide or methanethiol. 
     
     
         3 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the flavour precursor compound has the following structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where:
 R 1  is OH or an amino acid residue, 
 R 2  is H, C(O)CH 3 , or an amino acid residue, 
 R 3  is H or C1-C3 unsubstituted alkyl, 
 R 4  is optional and, if present, is C1-C3 unsubstituted alkyl, and 
 x is an integer from 1 to 3. 
 
       
     
     
         4 . A smoking article according to  claim 3 , wherein R 1  is OH or a glycine residue, R 2  is H, C(O)CH 3 , or a glutamate residue, R 3  is H or CH 3 , R 4  is not present; and x is 1 or 2. 
     
     
         5 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the flavour precursor compound has the following structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where:
 R 1  is OH or an amino acid residue, 
 R 2  is H, C(O)CH 3 , or an amino acid residue, 
 R 3  is H, C1-C3 unsubstituted alkyl or a cysteine residue, and 
 x is an integer from 1 to 3. 
 
       
     
     
         6 . A smoking article according to  claim 5 , wherein R 1  is OH or a glycine residue, R 2  is H, C(O)CH 3 , or a glutamate residue, R 3  is H or CH 3 , and x is 1 or 2. 
     
     
         7 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the flavour precursor compound has the following structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where:
 R 1  is OH or an amino acid residue, 
 R 2  is H, C(O)CH 3 , or an amino acid residue, and 
 x is an integer from 1 to 3. 
 
       
     
     
         8 . A smoking article according to  claim 7 , wherein R 1  is OH or a glycine residue, R 2  is H, C(O)CH 3 , or a glutamate residue, and x is 1 or 2. 
     
     
         9 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the flavour precursor compound has the following structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where:
 R 1  is OH or an amino acid residue, and 
 R 2  is H, C(O)CH 3 , or an amino acid residue. 
 
       
     
     
         10 . A smoking article according to  claim 9 , wherein R 1  is OH or a glycine residue and R 2  is H, C(O)CH 3 , or a glutamate residue. 
     
     
         11 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the flavour precursor compound comprises a cysteine residue. 
     
     
         12 . A smoking article according to  claim 11 , wherein the flavour precursor compound is selected from the group consisting of cysteine, glutathione, N-acetyl cysteine, S-methyl cysteine, and cystine. 
     
     
         13 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the flavour precursor compound is selected from the group consisting of cysteine, cystine, glutathione, methionine, DL methionine methylsulfonium, N-acetyl cysteine, S-methyl cysteine, DL-homocyceteine, N-acetyl methionine, Farnesyl-Met-Ome, Albumin and 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butyric acid. 
     
     
         14 . A smoking article according to  claim 13 , wherein the flavour precursor compound is cysteine or glutathione. 
     
     
         15 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein flavour precursor compound is cysteine. 
     
     
         16 . A smoking article according to  claim 1  wherein the aerosol forming substrate comprises tobacco. 
     
     
         17 . A smoking article according to  claim 16 , wherein heating of the tobacco and the flavour precursor compound results in the production of furfurylthiol. 
     
     
         18 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the flavour precursor compound is configured to release hydrogen sulfide or methanethiol at a temperature of from about 200° C. to about 450° C. 
     
     
         19 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , further comprising nicotine or a source of nicotine.