| Names | |
|---|---|
| Preferred IUPAC name
Oct-1-en-3-ol | |
| Other names
Amyl vinyl carbinol; 1-Vinylhexanol; Matsutake alcohol; Vinyl amyl carbinol; Vinyl hexanol; Matsuica alcohol; Mushroom alcohol; 3-Hydroxy-1-octene; Octenol | |
| Identifiers | |
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3D model (JSmol) |
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| ChEBI |
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| ChEMBL |
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| ChemSpider |
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| DrugBank |
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| ECHA InfoCard | 100.020.206 |
| EC Number |
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| 648361 | |
| KEGG | |
PubChem CID |
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| UNII |
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CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
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| Properties | |
| C8H16O | |
| Molar mass | 128.215 g·mol−1 |
| Density | 0.837 g/mL |
| Boiling point | 174 ºC at 1 atm |
| Vapor pressure | 0.3 kPa (at 50 °C) |
| Hazards | |
| GHS labelling: | |
| Warning | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
| Flash point | 68 ºC |
| 245 ºC | |
| Explosive limits | 0.9% (low) to 8% (high) |
| Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): | |
LD50 (median dose) |
340 mg/kg (rat) |
| Safety data sheet (SDS) | Fisher Scientific |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
| |
1-Octen-3-ol, octenol for short and also known as mushroom alcohol, is an organic compound with the formula CH2=CHCH(OH)(CH2)4CH3. It is a chiral secondary alcohol. It is a colorless liquid that occurs widely in nature.
The name "mushroom alcohol" for 1-octen-3-ol comes from its first isolation by S. Murahashi in 1936 and 1938 from crushed matsutake mushrooms. A recent study on volatiles of this mushroom has shown this compound is only produced upon tissue disruption. This alcohol is found in many other mushrooms where it may play a role as an antifeedant. In combination with exhaled CO2 and other volatile compounds secreted from the epidermis, it attracts biting insects such as mosquitoes. It is contained in human breath and sweat, and it is believed that the insect repellent DEET works by blocking the insects' octenol odorant receptors.
Octenol is produced by several plants and fungi, including edible mushrooms and lemon balm. Octenol is formed during oxidative breakdown of linoleic acid. Octenol is responsible for the moldy odor of damp indoor environments.
It is also a wine fault, defined as a cork taint, occurring in wines made with bunch rot contaminated grape.
It can be prepared by the Grignard reaction of acrolein with the Grignard reagent derived from amyl iodide. It also arises by the selective reduction of 1-octen-3-one
1-Octen-3-ol is generated from the peroxidation of linoleic acid, catalyzed by a lipoxygenase, followed by cleavage of the resulting hydroperoxide with the help of a hydroperoxide lyase. This reaction takes place in cheese and is used in biotechnology to produce the (R)-isomer.

Octenol is used, sometimes in combination with carbon dioxide, to attract insects in order to kill them with certain electrical devices.
The enantiopure right-handed isomer known as mushroom alcohol or matsutake alcohol is used in perfumery, because it is the main flavor and odor component of matsutake.
Octenol is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a food additive. It is of moderate toxicity with an LD50 of 340 mg/kg.
In an animal study, octenol has been found to disrupt dopamine homeostasis and may be an environmental agent involved in parkinsonism.