Ethylvanillin (EV)

Ethylvanillin is the organic compound with the formula (C2H5O)(HO)C6H3CHO. This colorless solid consists of a benzene ring with hydroxyl, ethoxy, and formyl groups on the 4, 3, and 1 positions, respectively. Ethylvanillin is a synthetic molecule, not found in nature. It is prepared via several steps from catechol, beginning with ethylation to give "guethol" . This ether condenses with glyoxylic acid to give the corresponding mandelic acid derivative, which via oxidation and decarboxylation gives ethylvanillin. As a flavorant, ethylvanillin is about three times as potent as vanillin and is used in the production of chocolate. The molecule revolutionized both the design and aesthetics of olfactory art; artist Aimé Guerlain used it in "Jicky" (1889), one of the earliest uses of the synthetic molecules that freed scent artists from the limits of natural materials.