Anethole

=**Anethole**=

Anethole is a white, crystalline powder, organic compound, C 10 H 12 O, having a sweet taste, obtained from anise or fennel oils or synthesized: used chiefly in perfumes, dentifrices, flavoring, synthesis of anisaldehyde, and inmedicine as an antiseptic and carminative. It is measuring 13 times sweeter than sugar. It is used a flavor mechanism to help items taste more appealing than thy really are.From the chemical perspective, it is a phenylpropene, it occurs greatly in nature. It is used in a number of different alcoholic drinks such as Ouzo and Pernod.

Anethole also is a promising insecticide. Several essential oils consisting mostly of anethole have insectisidal action against larvae of some mosquitoes//.// Anethole is an aromatic, unsaturated ether related to lignols. It exists as both cis-trans isomers (see also E-Z notation), involving the double bond outside the ring. The more abundant isomer, and the one preferred for use, is the trans or E isomer. Like related compounds, anethole is poorly soluble in water.Historically, this property was used to detect adulteration in samples. Most anethole is obtained from terpentine-like extracts from trees. Also of only minor commercial significance, anethole can be isolated from essential oils.



C10H12O White crystals that melt at 22.5°C; very slightly soluble in water; affected by light; odor resembles oil of anise; used in perfumes and flavors, and as a sensitizer in color-bleaching processes in color photography.

Precursor to illicit drugs
Anethole is an inexpensive chemical precursor for paramethoxyamphetamine (PMA), and is used in its clandestine manufacture. Anethole is present in the essential oil from guarana, which is alleged to have a psychoactive effect. The absence of PMA or any other known psychoactive derivative of anethole leads to the conclusion that any purported psychoactive effect of guarana is not due to anethole. Anethole is also present in absinthe, a liquor with a reputation for psychoactive effects; these effects however are attributed to ethanol




 * ~ Essential oil ||~ World production ||~ //trans//-anethole ||
 * Anise || 8 tons (1999) || 95% ||
 * Star anise || 400 tons (1999), mostly from China || 87% ||
 * Fennel || 25 tons (1999), mostly from Spain || 70% ||