Carotol

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Carotol is a natural chemical found in carrot seeds. It’s a type of sesquiterpene alcohol and makes up about 40% of carrot seed oil. It was first isolated in 1925 by researchers Asahina and Tsukamoto. Carotol is formed in carrot seeds during growth and may play a role in helping the plant compete with nearby organisms. It has been linked to antifungal, herbicidal, and insecticidal activities.

How it’s made in nature: Carotol comes from farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) via the mevalonate pathway. An extra five-carbon unit is added to build the precursor, and then FPP undergoes a series of ring-forming steps that create the carotol structure through carbocation rearrangements and a hydride shift. A final, stereospecific addition of water introduces the hydroxyl group, giving carotol. This explains the most plausible natural way carotol is produced.

Chemical basics: Carotol has the formula C15H26O (molar mass about 222.37 g/mol).