Chemical Properties
p-Tolylacetaldehyde has a powerful and refreshing green-fruity, "forest-like", sweet, floral odor of moderate
tenacity. The undiluted material has a rather
sharp initial odor, but sweetness predominates
in the diluted product.
The taste is sweet-fruity, mildly green at
concentrations near 10 ppm.
Uses
4-Methylphenylacetaldehyde (p-Tolylacetaldehyde) is used in perfumes, e.g., in soap, in tobacco fragrances, in the preparation of pesticides, etc.
Preparation
From p-methylbenzaldehyde; also from p-methylbenzyl chloride and hexamethylene tetramine.The methods of preparation correspond closely to those of phenylacetaldehyde. Thus, the compound can be prepared by glycidic ester synthesis from 4-methylbenzaldehyde and chloroacetate ester, by hydroformylation of 4-methylbenzylhalide with Co
2(CO)
8Na
2CO
3 in acetonitrile, or by oxidation of 4-methylstyrene.
Production Methods
p-Tolylacetaldehyde can be produced 1) from para-Methylbenzaldehyde via Darzen's reaction.
2) from para-Methylbenzy lchloride plus Hexamethyiene tetramine.
Definition
ChEBI: (4-Methylphenyl)acetaldehyde is a member of phenylacetaldehydes.
Taste threshold values
Taste characteristics at 10 ppm: sweet, fruity cherry with spicy an nutty nuances.
