It belongs to a larger class of chemical compounds known as terpenes, which are built from five carbon precursors; isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate.
It utfolakala kuluhlobo enkulu phytochemicals eyaziwa ngokuthi terpenes, ezakhiwe kusukela carbon kokumethemba ezinhlanu; isopentenyl diphosphate futhi diphosphate dimethylallyl.