MOLECULE

o-Dimethyl hydroquinone

O-dimethyl hydroquinone or 1,2-dimethoxybenzene commonly known as veratrole, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H4(OCH3)2. It is the dimethyl ether derived from pyrocatechol. It is one of three isomers of dimethoxybenzene. Veratrole is a colorless liquid, with a pleasant odor and slightly soluble in water, but miscible in all organic solvents. It is found in raw and cooked foods, such as cheeses, grapes, corn and asparagus. Veratrole is a food additive listed in the EAFUS food Additive Database (Jan 2001). It is a building block for the organic synthesis of other aromatic compounds. Veratrole is relatively electron-rich and thus readily undergoes electrophilic substitution. O-dimethyl hydroquinone has been reported to be present as a volatile component in cannabis samples (PMID: 26657499).