- Skatole
Chembox new
Name = Skatole
ImageFile = Skatole.svg
ImageSize = 150px
ImageName = Skatole
IUPACName = 3-methylindole
OtherNames = 4-Methyl-2,3-benzopyrrole
Section1 = Chembox Identifiers
SMILES = C1=C2C(=CC=C1)C(=C [N] 2C)C
CASNo = 83-34-1
RTECS =
Section2 = Chembox Properties
Formula = C9H9N
MolarMass = 131.172 g/mol
Appearance = white crystalline solid
Density =
Solubility = insoluble
MeltingPt = 93-95 °C (366-369 K)
BoilingPt = 265 °C (583 K)
pKa =
pKb =
Viscosity =
Section3 = Chembox Structure
MolShape =
Coordination =
CrystalStruct =
Dipole =
Section7 = Chembox Hazards
MainHazards =
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Section8 = Chembox Related
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Function =
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OtherCpds =Skatole or 3-methylindole is a mildly
toxic white crystal lineorganic compound belonging to theindole family. It occurs naturally infeces (it is produced fromtryptophan in the mammalian digestive tract),beet s, andcoal tar , and has a strong fecalodor . In lowconcentration s it has aflower y smell and is found in severalflower s andessential oil s, including those of orangeblossom s,jasmine , and "Ziziphus mauritiana ". It is used as a fragrance andfixative in manyperfume s and as anaroma compound . Its name is derived from the Greek root "skato-" meaning "dung ".Chemical properties
Skatole can be found as a white crystalline or fine powder solid, and it browns upon aging. It is nitrogenous and one of the rings is a
pyrrole . It is soluble in alcohol andbenzene and it gives a violet color in potassium ferrocyanide (K4Fe(CN)6·3H2O) andsulfuric acid (H2SO4). Skatole has a double ring system which displaysaromaticity . It is continuous (all atoms in the ring are sp² hybridized), planar, and follows the 4n+2 rule because it has 10 π electrons. It can be synthesized through aFischer indole synthesis which was developed byEmil Fischer .Insect attractant
It is one of many compounds that is attractive to males of various species of
orchid bee s, who apparently gather the chemical to synthesize pheromones; it is commonly used as bait to attract and collect these bees for study. [cite journal | url=http://www.springerlink.com/content/kv52574k74438848/ |author=Schiestl, F.P. & Roubik, D.W. |year=2004 |title=Odor Compound Detection in Male Euglossine Bees | journal= Journal of Chemical Ecology |volume = 29 |pages=253–257]3-Methylindole has been shown to be an attractant to gravid mosquitoes in both field and laboratory conditions. Because this compound is present in feces, it is found in combined sewage overflows (CSO) as steams and lakes containing CSO water have untreated human and industrial waste. Knowledge of this attractant makes CSO sites of particular interest when studying mosquito-borne diseases such as
West Nile Virus . [cite journal|author = Beechler, J W., J G Miller, and M S Mulla | year=1994 |title=Field evaluation of synthetic compounds mediating oviposition in Culex mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) |journal = J Chem Ecol]afety
Skatole has been shown to cause
pulmonary edema in goats, sheep, rats, and some strains of mice. It appears to selectively targetClara cell s, which are the major site ofcytochrome P450 enzymes in the lungs. These enzymes convert skatole to a reactive intermediate, 3-methyleneindolenine, which damages cells by forming proteinadduct s. [cite journal
last = Miller
first = M
coauthors = Kottler S, Ramos-Vara J, Johnson P, Ganjam V and Evans T
year = 2003
title = 3-Methylindole Induces Transient Olfactory Mucosal Injury in Ponies
journal = Veterinary Pathology
volume = 40
pages = 363–70
doi = 10.1354/vp.40-4-363
pmid = 12824507 ]In a 1994 report released by five top
cigarette companies, skatole was listed as one of the 599 additives to cigarettes. [cite web
url =http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/nicotineinhaler/a/cigingredients.htm
title =What's in a cigarette?
accessdate =2006-05-31] It is added as a flavoring ingredient.ee also
*
Indole
*1-Methylindole
*2-Methylindole (methylketol)
*5-Methylindole
*7-Methylindole References
External links
* [http://www.newscientist.com/backpage.ns?id=mg18124397.000 Whats that smell?]
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