Organic Chemistry

The organic compound called Vanillin appears as white or very slightly yellow needles. It
is an organic compound containing three functional groups which are aldehyde, phenol, and
ether. Vanillin is obtained from the beans or pods of the vanilla plants. It has a molecular weight
of 152.15 g/mol and IUPAC name of vanillin is 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzaldehyde. Its
molecular formula is ​C8H8O3​. In 1858, vanillin was isolated as a relatively pure substance by
Nicolas-Theodore Gobley. Vanillin has a sweetish smell and peasant aromatic vanilla taste. Its
boiling point and melting points are ​285 °C and 81.5 °C respectively. Vanillin starts to
decompose at 1600 °C. The pH of Vanillin in water is 4.3. ​This compound is soluble cold water,
diethyl ether, acetone and is very soluble in hot benzene, and petroleum ether. It is freely soluble
in chloroform, carbon disulfide, glacial acetic acid, pyridine, oils, and in aqueous solutions of
alkali hydroxides. (Cengage 2020). Vanillin is highly reactive with Bromine and potassium
tert-butoxide, tert-chlorobenzene + NaOH, formic acid + Tl(NO​3​)3​ ​, and perchloric acid. It also
has properties like antioxidants and anti-tumor which prevents oxidation of food in the body.
Moreover, it is used as a flavoring agent in foods, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. For example,
It is used to increase the milk flavor in products such as cakes, chocolate, biscuits, and instant
noodles. It is also added to some wines, alcoholic liquors, toothpaste, and cigarettes. In addition,
vanillin was also used in the fragrance industry, in perfumes, air fresheners, soaps, shampoos,
candles, creams, lotions, colognes, and ointments.

Sunscreen consists of many types of compounds, one of them was oxybenzone. This
compound is a benzophenone that is substituted at the 2 and 4 positions of one of the benzene
rings by hydroxy and methoxy groups respectively. Its molecular formula is C​14​H​12​O​3. IUPAC’s
name of oxybenzone is (2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-phenyl methanone. Oxybenzone has a
molecular weight of 228.24 g/mol. It appears as white to 0ff-white or light yellow powder and it
has an almost odorless or faint characteristic. Its boiling point is at 155 ​°C and its melting point
is at 65.5 °C. ​It has a role as a dermatologic drug, a protective agent, an ultraviolet filter, a
xenobiotic, and an environmental contaminant. This compound forms colorless crystals that are
readily soluble in most organic solvents, freely soluble in alcohol and toluene, and practically
insoluble in water. Oxybenzone is used as an ingredient in sunscreen and other cosmetics
because it absorbs UV-A ultraviolet rays​(Pubchem n.d.). It's indicated for the prevention of
sunburn, using sunscreen regularly when in sun may help reduce long-term sun damage such as
premature aging of the skin and skin cancer.
References:

Vanillin. (2020, April 29). Retrieved from

https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/academic-and-educational-journals/vanillin
Oxybenzone. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/molecule-of-the-week/archive/o/oxybenzone.html
Oxybenzone. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Oxybenzone