1-Heptanol

Description

Heptyl alcohol has a faint, aromatic, fatty odor and a pungent, spicy taste. It may be synthesized by reduction of enanthic aldehyde, which is a distillation product of castor oil.

Chemical Properties

Heptyl alcohol has a fragrant, woody, heavy, oily, faint, aromatic, fatty odor and a pungent, spicy taste.

Occurrence

Reported found in a few essential oils, hyacinth, violet leaves, Litsea zeylanica Also reported found in apple, banana, citrus peel oils, orange juice, bilberry, cranberry, blueberry, other berries, currants, melon, papaya, peach, pear, pineapple, asparagus, peas, potato, mustard, cheeses, butter, milk, meats, hop oil, beer, cognac, rum, bourbon whiskey, grape wines, cocoa, tea, flberts, pecans, peanuts, soybeans, passion fruit juice, olive, macadamia nuts, mango, tamarind, fgs, cardamom, rice, calamus, dill, corn, malt, kiwifruit, truffe, nectarine, crab, crayfsh, clams and other sources

Uses

1-Heptanol, is used in the fragrance industry due to its pleasant smell.

Preparation

By reduction of enanthic aldehyde, which is a distillation product of castor oil.

Production Methods

1-Heptanol is produced by reacting hexenes with carbon monoxide in the oxo process or by the catalytic reduction of heptaldehyde. It has little commercial value except in fragrances and as an artificial flavoring agent.

Definition

ChEBI: 1-heptanol is an alkyl alcohol that is heptane in which a hydrogen of one of the methyl groups is substituted by a hydroxy group. It has been isolated from Capillipedium parviflorum. It has a role as a plant metabolite, a fragrance and a flavouring agent. It is a primary alcohol, an alkyl alcohol and a volatile organic compound. It derives from a hydride of a heptane.

Aroma threshold values

Detection: 3 ppb.

Synthesis Reference(s)

The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 57, p. 1061, 1992 DOI: 10.1021/jo00030a003
Synthesis, p. 701, 1979 DOI: 10.1055/s-1979-28800

Reactivity Profile

Heptan-1-ol is an alcohol. Flammable and/or toxic gases are generated by the combination of alcohols with alkali metals, nitrides, and strong reducing agents. They react with oxoacids and carboxylic acids to form esters plus water. Oxidizing agents convert them to aldehydes or ketones. Alcohols exhibit both weak acid and weak base behavior. They may initiate the polymerization of isocyanates and epoxides.

Health Hazard

1-Heptanol is low toxicity; liquid may irritate eyes.

Flammability and Explosibility

Non flammable

Biochem/physiol Actions

Taste at 1-10 ppm

Purification Methods

Shake the alcohol with successive lots of alkaline KMnO4 until the colour persists for 15minutes, then dry it with K2CO3 or CaO, and fractionally distil it. [Beilstein 1 IV 1731.]