Disaster

Eucalyptol (C10H18O) is a colourless liquid with a piercing, minty, camphor-like scent under room conditions. It is a naturally occurring compound, and can be found in eucalyptus leaves and essential oils.

Eucalyptol has many uses in various industries. For example, it is used as a flavouring agent in mouthwashes, and is also used as an additive to fragrances and cigarettes. It is also used as an environmentally-friendly insect repellent, insecticide, and fungicide.

It has also been shown to relieve inflammation in many chronic diseases, such as respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, and also acts as an antioxidant. Consequently, it is also found in some inhalation-type medications for sinusitis.

In nature, eucalyptol is biosynthesised from geranyl diphosphate:

Note: As you can see, the name “eucalyptol” is somewhat of a misnomer, as there is no alcohol functional group within the molecule!