Benzyl Alcohol

Introduction

Benzyl Alcohol is a naturally occurring organic element in the Balsam of Peru. It is a common element in fruits and teas. It is also an important component of essential oils such as ylang-ylang oils, Jasmine, and Hyacinth. So this aromatic compound has a pleasant aroma and has some medicinal properties too. Even though it is naturally found it can be synthesized too. There are many preparative methods for its synthesis. One such preparation is from toluene. The molecular formula of this organic compound is $\mathrm{C_{6}H_{5}CH_{2}OH}$. Or it is further represented as BnOH. Since the benzyl group is present that is $\mathrm{C_{6}H_{5}CH_{2}}$ which is represented by the symbol 'Bn'.

What is Benzyl Alcohol (Aromatic Alcohol)?

Benzyl alcohol is an organic compound. Benzyl alcohol is an aromatic alcohol that contains a benzene ring. The benzyl groups are $\mathrm{C_{6}H_{5}CH_{2}}$. Phenyl methanol is the IUPAC name of Benzyl alcohol. It is a compound that has many similarities with toluene in the structural format as the hydrogen atom of the $\mathrm{CH_{3}}$ group of toluene is replaced with the OH or alcoholic group. This compound has many applications in many fields and is a precursor to several ester compounds. And these esters have been used in the perfumery industry. They are moderately soluble in water and are soluble in alcohol and diethyl ethers. And the appearance of this compound is a colourless liquid. The chemical reactions of this organic compound are also wide.

Structure of Benzyl Alcohol

As the name and molecular formula $\mathrm{C_{6}H_{5}CH_{2}OH}$ indicate that it contains a benzene ring. As it is Benzyl group $\mathrm{C_{6}H_{5}CH_{2}}$is present. One of the hydrogen atoms of the benzene group is substituted with $\mathrm{CH_{2}OH}$. The basic unit of the structure of Benzyl alcohol is a benzene ring with conjugation and delocalization. The structure of this compound is,

Properties of Benzyl Alcohol - $\mathrm{C_{6}H_{5}CH_{2}OH}$

As Benzyl alcohol is an alcoholic compound the property of this compound is similar to that of normal alcohols. They are colourless liquids with an aromatic odour. The properties of Benzyl alcohol are shown below,

Benzyl Alcohol	$\mathrm{C_{6}H_{5}CH_{2}OH}$
Molecular mass	108.140 g/mol
Density	1.044 g/c$\mathrm{m^{3}}$
Solubility in water	3.50 g/100 mL
Boiling point	205.3 °C
Melting point	-15.2 °C
Appearance	Colorless liquid
Acidity	15.40

Preparation of Benzyl Alcohol

There are several methods by which Benzyl Alcohol can be synthesized. Some of the common and important methods are discussed below.

• From benzyl chloride, Benzyl alcohol can be synthesized. This is done with the help of Water and Sodium hydroxide. The hydrolysis or treatment with water yields Benzyl alcohol. And the reaction with Sodium hydroxide also yields Benzyl alcohol. The reaction here taking place is

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• From Benzene Benzyl alcohol can be easily obtained. The Friedel crafts alkylation reaction of Benzene is used for this. The reaction of Methyl chloride $\mathrm{CH_{3}Cl}$ leads to the formation of methyl-substituted benzene or toluene in the presence of the Lewis acid Aluminum chloride, $\mathrm{AlCl_{3}}$. This toluene on treatment with oxidizing agents, Potassium permanganate forms benzoic acid, $\mathrm{C_{6}H_{5}COOH}$. Which then gets reduced to benzyl alcohol by the treatment with Lithium aluminium hydride, LiAlH4. The reactions can be given as

$$\mathrm{C_{6}H_{6}+CH_{3}Cl+AlCl_{3}\to C_{6}H_{5}CH_{3}}$$

$$\mathrm{C_{6}H_{5}CH_{3}+KMnO_{4}\to C_{6}H_{5}COOH}$$

$$\mathrm{C_{6}H_{5}COOH+LiAlH_{4}\to C_{6}H_{5}CH_{2}OH}$$

What are the Uses of Benzyl Alcohol?

Benzyl alcohol is an important organic chemical compound. And the aromatic nature of this alcohol made it used as a constituent of many compounds. As it is a liquid component it is used as a solvent in many compounds such as inks, paint, resin coating, etc. And is because of its non-flammable nature. Some of the uses of Benzyl alcohol are shown below.

• It is an important laboratory chemical.

• It is used in coatings and as an additive to paints.

• They are used in photosensitive chemicals.

• It is also present in electrical and electronic devices.

• It is also present in dyes.

• Used in the textile, fabric, and leather industries.

• It is used as an adhesive.

• It is an antiparasitic medicine.

• It is used in the cosmeceutical industry.

• It is also used for the determination of purity of the material quartz thereby detecting the presence of some contaminants.

Toxicity of Benzyl Alcohol

If the chemical Benzyl alcohol is not used properly it may cause several damages to the individual who has been contacted with it. The damages caused by Benzyl alcohol are different for different areas of the body. When it contacted the eyes it may cause redness and eye irritations. It will cause skin irritation and defatting of the skin when contacted for a long time. Inhalation of this chemical may irritate the respiratory systems. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract, vomiting, and burns may occur due to the indigestion of this compound. But this chemical is not a carcinogen.

Conclusion

Benzyl alcohol is an important organic compound with many applications. It is a compound that has aromatic properties since it contains a benzene ring. The presence of conjugation makes them unique aromatic alcohol. It is a colourless liquid with slight solubility in water but soluble in alcohols. The structure of Benzyl alcohol is in a way that one of the hydrogen atoms of the benzene ring has been replaced or substituted with methyl alcohol. It can be prepared from benzene and benzyl chloride. It is an important laboratory chemical and is used in the paint and coating industry as a solvent. And has some medicinal uses too. Even though it has many applications it has toxicity too. It will toxic to an individual who has been working with this chemical. So care must be taken before handling this chemical.

FAQs

Q1. Is Benzyl alcohol acid or base?

Ans. Benzyl alcohol is a neutral compound with a pH of 7. So it is not even a base and an acid.

Q2. How does it work as an antiparasitic medicine?

Ans. Benzyl alcohol is used as an antiparasitic medicine for children that are 6 months and older. It is available in the form of a lotion for its topical usage. The mechanism of action of Benzyl alcohol over the parasite is it will prevent the closing of respiratory spiracle of parasite and making them asphyxiate. But this has no effects on the eggs of lice. So another treatment must be taken for this. Care must be taken before applying this lotion as it is slightly toxic.

Q3. What will happen when Benzyl alcohol undergoes oxidation?

Ans. The oxidation of Benzyl alcohol leads to the formation of the chemical compound Benzaldehyde. There are several oxidative paths. The use of ferric nitrate in nitric acid is one such pathway.

Q4. Is Benzyl alcohol bad for hair?

Ans. Benzyl alcohol is a common component in several hair products. It is also taken as a medicine to treat the lice infection in the head. So it is not as toxic compared to other chemicals. And it has been reported it does not have such a toxic effect on human hair. So it is safe to use.

Q5. Is Benzyl alcohol can be consumed like alcohol?

Ans. Although it is an alcohol compound. It does not contain the component ethanol, the drinking alcohol found in beverages with it. So it is not consumed as alcohol. Instead, it is found in some alcohol-free products.