4-Anisaldehyde
Chemical compound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
4-Anisaldehyde, or p-Anisaldehyde, is an organic compound with the formula CH3OC6H4CHO. The molecule consists of a benzene ring with a formyl and a methoxy group. It is a colorless liquid with a strong aroma. It provides sweet, floral and strong aniseed odor. Two isomers of 4-anisaldehyde are known, ortho-anisaldehyde and meta-anisaldehyde. They are less commonly encountered.
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| Names | |||
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| Preferred IUPAC name
4-Methoxybenzaldehyde | |||
Other names
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| Identifiers | |||
3D model (JSmol) |
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| ChemSpider | |||
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.004.185 | ||
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CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
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| Properties | |||
| C8H8O2 | |||
| Molar mass | 136.150 g·mol−1 | ||
| Density | 1.119 g/cm3[2] | ||
| Melting point | −1 °C (30 °F; 272 K)[2] | ||
| Boiling point | 248 °C (478 °F; 521 K)[2] | ||
| Hazards | |||
| GHS labelling: | |||
| Warning | |||
| H302 | |||
| P264, P270, P301+P312, P330, P501 | |||
| Flash point | 108 °C (226 °F; 381 K) | ||
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Production
Anisaldehyde is prepared commercially by oxidation of 4-methoxytoluene (p-cresyl methyl ether) using manganese dioxide to convert a methyl group to the aldehyde group. It can also be produced by oxidation of anethole, a related fragrance that is found in some alcoholic beverages, by oxidative cleavage of an alkene.[3]
Uses
Being structurally related to vanillin, 4-anisaldehyde is widely used in the fragrance and flavour industry.[3] It is used as an intermediate in the synthesis of other compounds important in pharmaceuticals and perfumery. The related ortho isomer has a scent of liquorice.
A solution of para-anisaldehyde in acid and ethanol is a useful stain in thin layer chromatography.[4] Different chemical compounds on the plate can give different colors, allowing easy distinction.


