MOLECULE

1-Propanol

Propanol, 1-propanol or propyl alcohol, also known as ethylcarbinol, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as primary alcohols. Primary alcohols are compounds comprising the primary alcohol functional group, with the general structure RCOH (R=alkyl, aryl). Propyl alcohol is a colorless liquid that has a mild, alcohol-like odor. It is miscible in water. 1-propanol is an isomer of 2-propanol. Propyl alcohol exists in all eukaryotes, ranging from yeast to plants to humans. It is formed naturally in small amounts during many fermentation processes. For instance, 1-propanol is a major constituent of fusel oil, a by-product formed from certain amino acids when potatoes or grains are fermented to produce ethanol. Propyl alcohol can be found in small amounts in a number of food items such as cashew nuts, chinese mustard, greenthread tea, and chayote. In humans, propyl alcohol can be found primarily in blood, feces, and saliva, as well as in human fibroblasts tissue. Industrially propyl alcohol is used as a solvent in the pharmaceutical industry, mainly for resins and cellulose esters. 1-propanol exhibits low acute toxicity via dermal, inhalation, and oral routes of exposure; it is not very irritating to the skin and dermal absorption is expected to be slow. 1-propanol is readily metabolized by alcohol dehydrogenase to propionic acid, and has no evidence of carcinogenicity or mutagenicity. 1-propanol has a high octane number and it is suitable for engine fuel usage. 1-propanol has also been reported to be found in Cannabis oils (PMID: 6991645).