2-Ethylhexanol (abbreviated 2-EH) is an organic compound with the chemical formulaCH3CH2CH2CH2CH(CH2CH3)CH2OH. It is a branched, eight-carbon chiralalcohol. It is a colorless liquid that is poorly soluble in water but soluble in most organic solvents. It is produced on a large scale (>2,000,000,000 kg/y) for use in numerous applications such as solvents, flavors, and fragrances and especially as a precursor for production of other chemicals such as emollients and plasticizers.[3] It is encountered in plants, fruits, and wines.[4][5] The odor has been reported as "heavy, earthy, and slightly floral" for the R enantiomer and "a light, sweet floral fragrance" for the S enantiomer.[6][7]
Properties and applications
The branching in 2-ethylhexanol inhibits crystallization. Esters of 2-ethylhexanol are similarly affected, which together with low volatility, is the basis of applications in the production of plasticizers and lubricants, where its presence helps reduce viscosity and lower freezing points. Because 2-ethylhexanol is a fatty alcohol, its esters have emollient properties. Representative is the diesterbis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), commonly used in PVC. The triester tris (2-Ethylhexyl) trimellitate (TOTM) is another common plasticizer produced via the esterification of three 2-ethylhexanol per trimellitic acid.
2-Ethylhexanol is produced industrially by the hydrogenation2-ethylhexanal. About 2,500,000 tons are prepared in this way annually.[9][10]
Health effects
2-Ethylhexanol exhibits low toxicity in animal models, with LD50 ranging from 2-3 g/kg (rat).[3] 2-Ethylhexanol has been identified as a cause of indoor air quality related health problems, such as respiratory system irritation, as a volatile organic compound. 2-Ethylhexanol is emitted to air from a PVC flooring installed on concrete that had not been dried properly.[11][12]
Although isooctanol (and the derived isooctyl prefix) is commonly used in industry to refer to 2-ethylhexanol and its derivatives, IUPAC naming conventions[21] dictate that this name is properly applied to another isomer of octanol, 6-methylheptan-1-ol. The Chemical Abstracts Service likewise indexes isooctanol (CAS# 26952-21-6) as 6-methylheptan-1-ol.
^"2-ethylhexanol - Compound Summary". PubChem Compound. USA: National Center for Biotechnology Information. 16 September 2005. Identification and Related Records. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
^Fan, Wenlai; Qian, Michael C. (2006). "Characterization of Aroma Compounds of Chinese "Wuliangye" and "Jiannanchun" Liquors by Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 54 (7): 2695–2704. doi:10.1021/jf052635t. PMID16569063.
^Mayuoni-Kirshinbaum, Lina; Tietel, Zipora; Porat, Ron; Ulrich, Detlef (2012). "Identification of aroma-active compounds in 'wonderful' pomegranate fruit using solvent-assisted flavour evaporation and headspace solid-phase micro-extraction methods". European Food Research and Technology. 235 (2): 277–283. doi:10.1007/s00217-012-1757-0. S2CID97102092.
^C. Kohlpaintner; M. Schulte; J. Falbe; P. Lappe; J. Weber (2008). "Aldehydes, Aliphatic". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a01_321.pub2. ISBN978-3-527-30673-2.
^Ashford's Dictionary of Industrial Chemicals, Third edition, 2011, page 4180-4181.