Alpha Tocopheryl
by Justin Pattner and Jamie Capo
Androgenin
by Kamau Romero and Reid Sherman
Aspartame
by Jon Sagal and Joel Camacho
Aspirin
by Peter Wu
Aspirin
by Jason Rubin and Alex Amirsaleh
BHT
by Greg Peduto
Citric Acid
by Emily Finn and Regin Tanler
Cyanocobalamin
by Ariel Bulua and Robin Fisher
Demerol
by Kat Rubin
Erythromycin Opthalmic
by Stuart Schultz and Blake Stuchin
Folic Acid
by Lauren Thompson
Gore Tex
by Nadav Weg and Dan Katz
Mannitol
by Angela DeGiaimo
Menthol
by Max Pozdorovkin and Luke Groskin
Menthyl Acetate
by Madeleine Elfenbein and Farng Yi Foo
Phenylalanine
by Ray Bulman and Katia Asche
Polyester
by Rachel Gorman and Melissa Leber
Sodium Benzoate
by Michael Olshan and Gordon Saft
TNT
by Perry Swatzburg
Toluene
by Avi Mosher
Triethanolamine
by Peter Chavkin and Max Pitman
Vanillin
by Justin Pollak and Alex Sailon
Vitamin E
by Jaji Crocker and Lucianne Melendez
The IUPAC name for Vanillin is
3-methoxy-4-hydroxylbenzaldahyde. It has a boiling point of 170o
C and a melting point 81-83o C. Insoluble in water, vanillin's
molecular weight is 152.15 g. It is found naturally in clove bud oil,
but it can also be produced artificially. It appears as white or off white
crystals with an odor of sweet dry vanilla chocolate. While it's most
obvious use is to enhance the taste of foods (and medicines), vanillin
is also used in perfumes to create the smells of passion fruit, almond,
pear and others. Oddly it is used in some fly paper to lure the flies.
One of the spanish conquerors, Bernal Diaz, observed that the emperor
Montezuma of the Aztec Empire was drinking cocoa-latl, a beverage consisting
of powdered cocoa beans flavored with vanilla and honey.