4-Methylanisole

Description

p-Methylanisole has a pungent odor suggestive of ylang-ylang. May be prepared by methylation of p-cresol.

Chemical properties

colourless liquid

Chemical properties

p-Methylanisole has a pungent odor suggestive of ylang-ylang.

Occurrence

Reported found in the oils of ylang-ylang, cananga and flowers of Mimusops elengi L. Also reported found in tomato, blue and Camembert cheese, starfruit, buckwheat, rooibus tea (Aspalathus linearis) and tapereba (Spondias lutea).

The Uses of 4-Methylanisole

4-Methylanisole may be used as an analytical standard for the determination of the analyte in Malus taxa flowers, coffee brews, aqueous matrices, food products, and Ficus semicordata by various chromatography techniques.

The Uses of 4-Methylanisole

4-Methylanisole was used to prepare 5-methoxy-1,8-dimethyltetralin. It was also used as the solubilizate molecule to study the site of incorporation of solubilizates in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micellar systems.

The Uses of 4-Methylanisole

Perfumery, flavoring.

Preparation

By methylation of p-cresol.

Definition

ChEBI: 1-Methoxy-4-methylbenzene is a member of methoxybenzenes.

Aroma threshold values

Detection: 200 ppb

Taste threshold values

Taste characteristics at 20 ppm: naphthyl, phenolic, camphoraceous, cooling and woody.

Synthesis Reference(s)

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 113, p. 8516, 1991 DOI: 10.1021/ja00022a046
Tetrahedron Letters, 32, p. 2759, 1991 DOI: 10.1016/0040-4039(91)85078-J
The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 59, p. 4687, 1994 DOI: 10.1021/jo00095a054

General Description

4-Methylanisole is an odorant benzenoid belonging to the group of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It can contribute to the floral scent of the plants. 4-Methylanisole is typically a lignin-derived bio-oil that is also a major ingredient of certain food products.

Safety Profile

Moderately toxic by ingestion. A skin irritant. Flammable liquid when exposed to heat, sparks, or flame. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes.

Purification Methods

Dissolve 4-methyl anisole in diethyl ether, wash it with M NaOH, water, dry (Na2CO3), evaporate and distil it under vacuum. The picrate has m 103o (from aqueous EtOH). [Beilstein 6 IV 2098.]