Methol

=Basic Facts about Menthol= Menthol is an organic compound made synthetically or abstained from peppermint or other mint oils. It is a waxy, crystalline substance, clear or white in color, which is solid at room temperature and melts slightly above. It is the chemical technical name to define all methyl groups in chemistry. In addition, it is also the general name for the class containing the serious of the alcohols.

It also calls methyl alcohol, wood spirit and carbinol and it is a chemical with the formula CH3OH. It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless and flammable liquid.



Menthol can be found in many products, here are a few common ones:
 * Cigarettes
 * Gum
 * Mouth wash
 * Cough Drops

Structure
Natural menthol exists as one pure [|stereoisomer], nearly always the (//1R,2S,5R//) form (bottom left corner of the diagram below). The eight possible stereoisomers are: In the natural compound, the [|isopropyl] group is in the // [|trans] // orientation to both the [|methyl] and [|hydroxyl] groups. Thus, it can be drawn in any of the ways shown: The (+) and (–) enantiomers of menthol are the most stable among these based on their [|cyclohexane conformations]. With the ring itself in a chair conformation, all three bulky groups can orient in equatorial positions. The two crystal forms for [|racemic] menthol have melting points of 28 °C and 38 °C. Pure (−)-menthol has four crystal forms, of which the most stable is the α form, the familiar broad needles.

Reactions
Menthol reacts in many ways like a normal secondary alcohol. It is oxidised to [|menthone] by oxidising agents such as [|chromic acid] or [|dichromate], [|[11]] though under some conditions the oxidation can go further and break open the ring. Menthol is easily dehydrated to give mainly 3-menthene, by the action of 2% [|sulfuric acid]. [|Phosphorus pentachloride] (PCl5) gives menthyl chloride.