Essential oils: Eugenol and the phenylpropenes

Let’s take a moment to look at the compound called eugenol (or 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) that we find in clove, cinnamon, allspice, bay, basic, rose, jasmine, and carnation plants and oils. “Eugenol is a phenylpropene, an allyl chain-substituted guaiacol.” (From Wikipedia.) It’s a polyphenol, meaning it has a phenyl ring (the six sided molecule) and and has a…