MOLECULE

1-Methoxy-4(1-propenyl)-benzene

Anethole or 1-Methoxy-4(1-propenyl)-benzene, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as anisoles. These are organic compounds containing a methoxybenzene or a derivative thereof. Anethole is an extremely weak basic (essentially neutral) compound (based on its pKa). Anethol is a naturally occurring organic compound found in the essential oils of many plants such as anise, fennel, anise myrtle, liquorice as their large component of the odor and flavor. Anethole is a sweet, anise, and balsam tasting compound. It is used as a flavoring agent in alcoholic drinks and in small quantities in natural berry flavors. Anethole is found in a lower concentration in peppermints, wild celeries, and corianders. Anethole has also been detected, but not quantified in, several different foods, such as nutmegs, cumins, lemon balms, common thymes, and herbs and spices. This could make anethole a potential biomarker for the consumption of these foods. Anethole has potent antimicrobial, nematicidal and antifungal activities (PMID:11807977, 17078111, 18944489). Anethol is one of small numbers of methyl ethers of phenols including cis-anethol, tram- anetliol and methyleugenol found in cannabis plants (PMID:6991645). There are two known anethol isomers including Cis- and Trans-anethol.