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Specifications
| Appearance: | Colorless to pale yellow liquid or opaque solid |
| Odor: | With a soft sweet, floral aroma |
| Content (GC): | 97% min |
| Boiling point: | 258.5℃ to 259.5℃ |
| Acid Value: | 1 mgKOH/g max |
| Refractive index (20℃): | 1.5400 to 1.5470 |
| Relative Density (25℃/25℃): | 1.1070 to 1.1250 |
Applications
1.1 Pharmaceutical Intermediate
4-Methoxybenzyl alcohol is widely used as a building block or protecting group in pharmaceutical synthesis. It plays a role in:
Preparation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)
Protection of alcohol and amine groups during multistep synthesis
Intermediate in synthesis of drugs with antidepressant, antihypertensive, or antiviral properties
1.2 Protecting Group in Organic Synthesis
The p-methoxybenzyl (PMB) group derived from this compound is a popular protecting group for:
Alcohols
Amines
It offers acid stability and easy cleavage under mild oxidative or acidic conditions (e.g., using DDQ), making it ideal for use in peptide, carbohydrate, and nucleoside synthesis.
1.3 Flavor and Fragrance Industry
Due to its mild, pleasant aromatic profile (similar to anisic or floral notes), it is used in:
Fragrance formulation
Flavor enhancers
Aroma compounds in consumer goods (perfumes, soaps, cosmetics)
1.4 Agrochemical Intermediate
Used in the synthesis of herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides. It serves as a core structure or protective functional group in agrochemical R&D.
1.5 Polymer and Material Science
4-Methoxybenzyl alcohol is also used in specialty polymer synthesis where aromatic groups impart rigidity, UV absorption, or functional reactivity to the final polymer.
Benefits
2.1 High Reactivity for Derivatization
The benzylic alcohol group allows for easy transformation into:
Ethers
Esters
Halides
This makes it a versatile intermediate for synthetic chemists.
2.2 Effective Protecting Group (PMB)
The PMB group is:
Easy to install (via simple alkylation reactions)
Stable under acidic and basic conditions
Easily removed with oxidants or Lewis acids without harming sensitive molecules
2.3 Favorable Physical Properties
Low melting and boiling points
Soluble in most organic solvents
Mild and manageable handling profile for industrial synthesis
2.4 Biocompatible and Biodegradable Nature
The compound is aromatic but not overly toxic, making it suitable in pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations under controlled conditions.
Conclusion
4-Methoxybenzyl alcohol (CAS 105-13-5) is a highly valuable compound in both industrial and research settings due to its versatile chemical reactivity, mild aromatic properties, and utility as a protecting group. It plays a crucial role in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and specialty polymers, and is widely used in fragrance and flavor formulations.
