MOLECULE

Methyl heptanoate

Methyl heptanoate belongs to the class of organic compounds known as fatty acid methyl esters. Fatty acid methyl esters are compounds containing a fatty acid that is esterified with a methyl group. They have the general structure RC(=O)OR', where R=fatty aliphatic tail or organyl group and R'=methyl group. Fatty acid methyl esters are used to produce detergents and biodiesel. In fact, most of the molecules in biodiesel are fatty acid methyl esters, usually obtained from vegetable oils by transesterification. Methyl heptanoate is a very hydrophobic molecule, practically insoluble in water. Methyl heptanoate is a sweet, berry, and floral tasting compound. Methyl heptanoate has been detected in several different foods, such as asian pears, evergreen blackberries, pepper (C. frutescens), and pepper (spice). Methyl heptanoate has also been reported to be a volatile component in cannabis samples (PMID: 26657499).