Olivetol ≥99%

Olivetol (5-pentylresorcinol) — Laboratory Reagent CAS 500-66-3

Olivetol is an organic compound of the alkylresorcinol group, formally 5-pentylbenzene-1,3-diol. Its molecule is a resorcinol ring (benzene-1,3-diol) bearing a straight-chain pentyl substituent at position 5. The presence of two adjacent phenolic hydroxyl groups together with an alkyl chain gives the compound both the reactivity characteristic of phenols and a degree of lipophilicity, making it a useful and versatile building block in organic synthesis.

The supplied material is purified olivetol of high declared purity, usually occurring as a viscous, pale oil or a low-melting solid ranging from colourless to pale yellow. Olivetol is a classic precursor and reference compound in resorcinol chemistry and in work on the synthesis of phenolic derivatives.

Physicochemical data

Research applications

Olivetol is a valued building block in organic synthesis, primarily as a precursor in resorcinol chemistry. Its electron-rich aromatic ring readily undergoes electrophilic aromatic substitution, Friedel-Crafts alkylation and condensation reactions, which makes the compound a convenient substrate in multi-step synthetic sequences and in studies of alkylresorcinol chemistry.

In the laboratory, olivetol is used as an analytical standard and model compound in HPLC, GC-MS and NMR spectroscopy studies, where it serves for method validation and the identification of phenolic derivatives. It is also applied in natural product chemistry research and as a reference reagent in the development of procedures for determining alkylresorcinols in plant samples. Because of its phenolic groups, the material is sensitive to oxidation — it should be stored in a cool place, in a tightly closed container, protected from light and air, preferably under an inert gas atmosphere. All applications are strictly research in nature; the product is not intended for use on living organisms.