Anethole - Arasi Lawrence Company

Anethole

Aromatic ethers

The aromatic ethers may be divided into two groups, the phenolic ethers (alkaryl ethers), which are of the type ArOR, and the ethers of the type Ar₂O (the diaryl ethers).

The infra-red absorption region of diaryl and alkaryl ethers (=C-O-stretch) is 1270 – 1230cm^-1 (s). Thus, these types of ethers may readily be distinguished from dialkyl ethers, but not always from epoxides (the molecular formula will help here “mass spectra”).

Two important phenolic ethers are anisole (methyl phenyl ether, methoxybenzene), boiling point (b.p.) 155°C, and phenetole (ethyl phenyl ether, ethoxybenzene), boiling point (b.p.) 172°C.

Anisole and phenetole are unaffected by most acids and alkalis, but are decomposed by concentrated hydriodic acid (or hydrobromic acid) into phenol and alkyl iodide (or bromide).

Anethole (p-methoxypropenylbenzene), melting point (m.p.) 22-23°, boiling point (b.p.) 235°C under 760mm. pressure, is one of the chief constituents of anise seed essential (volatile) oil, from which it is obtained.