Names:

• Eugenol
• 4-Allyl-2-methoxyphenol
• 2-Methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)phenol
• 2-methoxy-4-(2-propen-1-yl)phenol
• Eugenic acid

 

This week’s MOTW is Eugenol! Eugenol comes from an essential oil found in cloves and it is responsible for the characteristic taste and odor of cloves. It is a member of a class of molecules called the phenylpropanoids, which also include molecules like cinnamic acid and coumarin.

Eugenol is used today in many things like perfumes, food flavorings, and medicine. When eugenol is mixed with another compound called zinc oxide it makes zinc oxide eugenol. Zinc oxide eugenol is used as a dental filling material in dentistry!