Olivetol

Chemical Properties

Olivetol is an off-white crystals or olive to light purple waxy solid. Forms monohydrate (melting point: 102-106°F). Olivetol is a member of the class of resorcinols that is resorcinol in which the hydrogen at position 5 is replaced by a pentyl group. It has a role as a lichen metabolite.

Physical properties

light purple to brown crystalline mass.

Application

Olivetol is a precursor in various syntheses of tetrahydrocannabinol.

Uses

Olivetol was used as a template molecule in the synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP). It was also used as an inhibitor of (S)-mephenytoin 4'-hydroxylase activity of recombinant CYP2C19.

Definition

ChEBI: Olivetol is a member of the class of resorcinols that is resorcinol in which the hydrogen at position 5 is replaced by a pentyl group. It has a role as a lichen metabolite.

Preparation

olivetol can also be formed through hydrolysis of intermediate polyketide CoAs or spontaneous cyclization.

Synthesis Reference(s)

The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 42, p. 3456, 1977 DOI: 10.1021/jo00441a036

General Description

Olivetol appears as off-white crystals or olive to light purple waxy solid. Forms monohydrate (melting point: 102-106°F). (NTP, 1992)

Air & Water Reactions

Sensitive to air. Insoluble in water.

Reactivity Profile

Olivetol is incompatible with acid chlorides, acid anhydrides and oxidizing agents.

Fire Hazard

Olivetol is probably combustible.

Biological Activity

Olivetol (5-Pentylresorcinol, 5-n-Amylresorcinol) is a naturally occurring organic compound being a precursor in various syntheses of tetrahydrocannabinol. It acts as a competitive inhibitor of the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2.

Safety

Olivetol is still a very new product. It has not been researched nearly enough to prove it's safe to use. So far, no one has reported any adverse side effects as far as we know. Until more information is available, carefully control your THC intake instead of relying on an untested gelcap.

Mode of action

When you look at olivetol's molecular structure, it'll look very familiar. It's as if someone took a THC molecule and sliced it in two. Olivetol, like THC, works by binding with the CB1 receptors that exist all over your body and brain. But, olivetol is thought to be smaller and stickier than THC, so that helps it reduce a raging high in two ways. First, it slips into any open receptors before THC can get there to block them—so you won't get any higher. Second, it bumps into THC molecules that are already lodged in a CB1 receptor to knock them loose and take their place. That's how it brings you down.
According to numerous personal accounts, olivetol works, but we don't know exactly how it does so. More research and investigation is needed, but in theory it's very similar to how Narcan acts to reverse opiate overdoses.