MOLECULE

1-Octanol

Octanol, also known as capryl alcohol, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as fatty alcohols. These are aliphatic alcohols consisting of a chain of a least six carbon atoms. Thus, octanol is considered to be a fatty alcohol lipid molecule. Octanol is a very hydrophobic molecule, practically insoluble in water, and relatively neutral. Octanol occurs naturally in the form of esters in some essential oils. The distribution of a compound between water and octanol is used to calculate the partition coefficient (logP) of that molecule. Water/octanol partitioning is a good approximation of the partitioning between the cytosol and lipid membranes of living systems. Octanol is a colorless, slightly viscous liquid used as a defoaming or wetting agent. It is also used as a solvent for protective coatings, waxes, and oils, and as a raw material for plasticizers. It is also one of many compounds derived from tobacco and tobacco smoke and shown to increase the permeability of the membranes of human lung fibroblasts (PMID: 7466833). Octanol is one of several alcohols that are found in cannabis plants (PMID: 6991645).