Safrole

• 3,4- methylenedioxy - allylbenzene
• 5 -allyl -benzo [ 1,3] dioxole
• 5 - prop-2- enyl -1 ,3- benzodioxole

Yellow liquid with odor anisartigem

Liquid

1.10 g · cm -3

11.2 ° C

234.5 ° C

1.3 hPa ( 65 ° C)

• Practically insoluble in water

1.5381 (20 ° C)

Risk

Not determined, as carcinogenic

1950 mg · kg -1 ( LD50, rat, oral)

Template: Infobox chemical / molecular formula search available

Safrole is a phenylpropanoid with anisartigem odor.

Occurrence

Safrole is found in some, especially tropical plants. It is the main constituent of several essential oils; it is about the North American sassafras more than 90 percent of the volatile fraction. Other safrole rich plants are the Central American Pepper family Makulan ( Piper auritum ) or sassafras ( Sassafras albidum ) and Ocotea sassafras from the laurel family (see also Zimtland expedition ). The most important source is the native to Asia camphor tree, whose root oil supplies mainly safrole. In smaller amounts of safrole occurs in a large number of plants, such as black pepper or nutmeg.

Use

Because of its pleasant odor safrole-rich plant extracts have been used in the past, both in food preparation and in perfumery. So the U.S. root beer it owed ​​its typical taste. However, safrole is of considerable toxicity to the liver and kidneys and is moreover suspected carcinogenic effects. Safrole is now in all the EU countries no approved food additive. In June 2001, the Federal Institute for Consumer Health Protection and Veterinary Medicine issued an opinion on the health assessment of safrole. The use of safrole in tobacco products is prohibited by the Tobacco Regulation.

The industrial extraction by steam distillation of the wood of sassafras root.

Safrole is used as starting material for the synthesis of the insecticide synergist piperonyl butoxide -.

Since it also as a raw material for the synthesis of MDMA ( "ecstasy"), MDA and MDEA ( "Eve" ) could serve, production, acquisition, transfer, etc. are now forbidden without authorization in the European Union and will be prosecuted. The same is true for sassafras oil.