Phenethyl alcohol, or 2-phenylethanol or Benzyl carbinol, C6H5CH2CH2OH, is a colourless liquid that is slightly soluble in water, but miscible with most organic solvents. It occurs widely in nature, being found in a variety of essential oils. It has a pleasant floral odor. It is a common ingredient in flavors and perfumery, particularly when the odor of rose is desired. It is used as an additive in cigarettes. It is also used as a preservative in soaps due to its stability in basic conditions. It is of interest due to its antimicrobial properties.
C8H10O --- 122.17
Benzeneethanol.
Phenethyl alcohol --- [60-12-8].
Packaging and storage: Preserve in tight, light-resistant containers, and store in a cool, dry place.
Identification: Infrared Absorption.
Specific gravity: between 1.017 and 1.020.
Refractive index: between 1.531 and 1.534 at 20.
Residue on ignition: Evaporate 10 mL in a suitable crucible, and ignite to constant weight: the limit is 0.005%.
Chlorinated compounds: Wind a 1.5- × 5-cm strip of 20-mesh copper gauze around the end of a copper wire. Heat the gauze in the non-luminous flame of a Bunsen burner until it glows without coloring the flame green. Permit the gauze to cool, and heat several times until a good coat of oxide has formed. Apply with a medicine dropper 2 drops of Phenylethyl Alcohol to the cooled gauze, ignite, and permit it to burn freely in the air. Again cool the gauze, add 2 more drops of Phenylethyl Alcohol, and burn as before. Continue this process until a total of 6 drops has been added and ignited, and then hold the gauze in the outer edge of the Bunsen flame, adjusted to a height of about 4 cm: no transient green color or other color is imparted to the flame.
Aldehyde: Shake 5 mL with 5 mL of 1 N sodium hydroxide, and allow to stand for 1 hour: no yellow color appears in the organic (top) layer.
