Sunday, April 10, 2011

Methyl trans-Cinnamate

Methyl trans-cinnamate is the methyl ester of cinnamic acid.  Methyl trans-cinnamate gives off the appearance of a white to light yellow fused crystalline mass with a strong, aromatic odor.  It is found naturally in a variety of plants and fruits, most specifically strawberries.  It is mostly used in the fragrant and flavor industries as an agent for perfumes and such.  The structure for methyl trans-cinnamate is:
The properties of Methyl trans-cinnamate:
   - Melting Point: 260-262°C
   - Boiling Point: 34-38°C
   - Water Solubility: Insoluble
   - Molecular Weight: 162.19 g/mol
   - Linear Formula: C6H5CH=CHCO2CH3
   - IUPAC name: Methyl (E)-3-Phenylprop-2-enoate

The carboxylic acid the ester is derived from is:
An example of one reaction where methyl trans-cinnamate is converted to another derivative:

Sources:

1. "Methyl Cinnamate." Chemical Book. Web. 9 Apr. 2011. http://www.chemicalbook.com/ChemicalProductProperty_EN_CB5206328.htm.
2.  Methyl Cinnamate." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 9 Apr. 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_cinnamate.
3.  "Cinnamic Acid | RM.com ®." Magick, Wicca, Paganism and Other Esoteric Knowledge | RM.com ®. Web. 9 Apr. 2011. http://www.realmagick.com/cinnamic-acid/.

Posted by at

1 comment:

  1. Bill Nye the Science GuyApril 12, 2011 at 9:20 PM

    If there was one thing I was upset that I did not put in my blog it is that I did not have any pictures. You have planty of pictures helping with your explanation and the completion of the assignment. I am not sure if I really like how you posted your information about Methyl trans-Cinnamate but to each his own. All that I ask is that there be just a wee bit more writing and a wee bit less pictures. However, you have all the information necessary so I do not see why you would not do well in the assignment. Overall, great blog and I cannot wait to read more.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)