1,2-Dimethoxybenzene, commonly known as veratrole, is an

organic compound In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. The ...

with the

formula In science, a formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically, as in a mathematical formula or a ''chemical formula''. The informal use of the term ''formula'' in science refers to the general construct of a relationship betwee ...

CH(

OCH Och may refer to: * Och (spirit) * 6-oxocamphor hydrolase, an enzyme * Och, alternative spelling of Uch, a city in Bahawalpur District, Pakistan * John R. Oishei Children's Hospital, Buffalo, New York, United States * Outram Community Hospital ...

). It is one of three isomers of

dimethoxybenzene In organic chemistry, dimethoxybenzene is an organic compound which is derived from benzene () by substituting two methoxy groups (). Dimethoxybenzene comes in three structural isomers: * 1,2-Dimethoxybenzene (Veratrole) *1,3-Dimethoxybenzene * 1 ...

. It is a colorless liquid, with a pleasant odor and slight solubility in water. It is the dimethyl

ether In organic chemistry, ethers are a class of compounds that contain an ether group—an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups. They have the general formula , where R and R′ represent the alkyl or aryl groups. Ethers can again be c ...

derived from

pyrocatechol Catechol ( or ), also known as pyrocatechol or 1,2-dihydroxybenzene, is a toxic organic compound with the molecular formula . It is the ''ortho'' isomer of the three isomeric benzenediols. This colorless compound occurs naturally in trace amoun ...

Occurrence

1,2-Dimethoxybenzene is naturally occurring. Its biosynthesis entails the methylation of

guaiacol Guaiacol () is an organic compound with the formula C6H4(OH)(OCH3). It is a phenolic compound containing an methoxy functional group. Guaiacol appears as a viscous colorless oil, although aged or impure samples are often yellowish. It occurs wid ...

guaiacol O-methyltransferase Guaiacol () is an organic compound with the formula C6H4(OH)(OCH3). It is a phenolic compound containing an methoxy functional group. Guaiacol appears as a viscous colorless oil, although aged or impure samples are often yellowish. It occurs wid ...

. 1,2-Dimethoxybenzene is an insect attractant. Guaiacol O-methyltransferase gene is first scent gene discovered so far in any plant species.

Uses

1,2-Dimethoxybenzene is a building block for the

organic synthesis Organic synthesis is a special branch of chemical synthesis and is concerned with the intentional construction of organic compounds. Organic molecules are often more complex than inorganic compounds, and their synthesis has developed into one o ...

of other aromatic compounds. Veratrole is relatively electron-rich and thus readily undergoes electrophilic substitution. An example of the use of veratrole is in the synthesis of Domipizone. Veratrole can easily be brominated with NBS to give 4-bromoveratrole.

Related compounds

1,3-Dimethoxybenzene 1,3-Dimethoxybenzene is an organic compound with the formula C6H4( OCH3)2. It is one of three isomers of dimethoxybenzene. Uses 1,3-Dimethoxybenzene has been used in the synthesis of novel oxathiane spiroketal donors.{{Cite journal , last=A. ...

* 1,4-Dimethoxybenzene *

Methyl isoeugenol Methyl isoeugenol (isomethyleugenol) is a phenylpropanoid, the methyl ether of isoeugenol, found in certain essential oils. It can occur as both (''E'')- and (''Z'')-isomers. See also * Methyl eugenol Methyl eugenol (allylveratrol) is a natu ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dimethoxybenzene, 1, 2- O-methylated natural phenols