MENTHOFURAN

Chemical properties

CLEAR LIGHT YELLOW LIQUID

Chemical properties

Menthofuran occurs as the (+) isomer, in peppermint essential oils. It is a colorless liquid with a minty odor.

Chemical properties

4,5,6,7-Tetrahydro-3,6-dimethylbenzofuran has an odor very similar to that of menthol.

Occurrence

Reported found in peppermint oil, corn mint oil, spearmint oil, Scotch spearmint oil, pennyroyal oil and other Mentha oils and buchu oil.

The Uses of MENTHOFURAN

Menthofuran is a toxin found in vairety of essential oils and is believed to be the compound responsible for the potentially fatal effects of Pennyroyal. Menthofuran is known to produce hepatotoxic intermedaites via oxidation process.

The Uses of MENTHOFURAN

Menthofuran is a toxin found in vairety of essential oils and is believed to be the compound responsible for the potentially fatal effects of Pennyroyal. Menthofuran is known to produce hepatotoxic intermediates via oxidation process.

What are the applications of Application

Menthofuran is a useful biochemical for proteomics research

Preparation

(+)-Menthofuran [17957-94-7] is isolated fromMentha oils or is prepared synthetically, for example, by treatment of (+)-pulegone with fuming sulfuric acid in acetic anhydride and pyrolysis of the resulting sultone.

Definition

ChEBI: Menthofuran is a monoterpenoid that is 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1-benzofuran substituted by methyl groups at positions 3 and 6. It has a role as a nematicide and a plant metabolite. It is a member of 1-benzofurans and a monoterpenoid.

Taste threshold values

Taste characteristics at 10 ppm: musty, nutty, coffee, raw and legume

Synthesis Reference(s)

The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 48, p. 2442, 1983 DOI: 10.1021/jo00162a037

Synthesis

By thermal decomposition of the sulfone of 3-hydroxy-3,8(9)-methadiene-9-sulfonic acid; the latter is obtained by sulfonapulegone in acetic anhydride.