Clear, almost colorless liquid. Polymerizes and oxidizes readily. Combustible.
Component of varnishes and a variety of polymers; fragrance.
ChEBI: (4E,6E)-2,6-dimethylocta-2,4,6-triene is an ocimene that consists of octa-2,4,6-triene bearing methyl substituents at positions 2 and 6 (the 4E,6E-isomer). It has a role as a semiochemical.
2,6-Dimethyl-2,4,6-octatriene (allo-ocimene) is one of the major constituents of Fissistigma maclurei Merr. It was identified in Alphanso mangoes using GC-MS.
Ocimene is produced by the flash pyrolysis or
photochemical isomerization of a-pinene.
Fractionally distil allocimene through an efficient column and repeatedly distil it at 15mm through a long column of glass helices, with a final distillation from sodium under nitrogen. It should be stabilised with ca 0.1% of hydroquinone. UV: max nm( 1cm-1) 290 (32 500), 279 (41 900) and 278 (42,870). [Alder et al. Justus Liebigs Ann Chem 609 1 1957, O’Connor & Goldblatt Anal Chem 26 1726 1954, Beilstein 1 IV 1106.]
