Anisaldehyde

Anisaldehyde, or anisic aldehyde, is an organic compound that consists of a benzene ring substituted with an aldehyde and a methoxy group. It is a clear colorless liquid with a strong aroma. It comes in three varieties, ortho, meta, and para in which the two functional groups (methoxy and aldehyde) are alpha, beta, and gamma, respectively to each other. The unmodified term anisaldehyde generally refers to the para isomer.

Anisaldehyde is found in anise, from which it gets its name. It is similar in structure to vanillin.

Anisaldehyde is used as an intermediate in the synthesis of other compounds important in pharmaceuticals and perfumery, particularly ortho-anisaldehyde, which has a scent of licorice.

L’anisaldeide, o aldeide anisica, è un composto organico che consiste in un anello benzenico con un gruppo aldeidico e metossile in posizione para. E’un liquido limpido, incolore con un forte odore. Forma tre isomeri, orto, meta e para, a seconda della posizione del gruppo metossile.

Il composto si trova nell’anice e presenta struttura simile a quella della vanillina.

Il composto è impiegato in sistesi organiche, in farmaceutica, in profumeria. In particolare mentre l’isomero para ha un’odore spiccatamente simile a quello dell’anice, quello dell’isomero orto ha un odore assimilabile a quello della liquirizia.