6-Methylsalicylic acid

6-Methylsalicylic acid
Chemical structure of 6-methylSalicylilc acid.
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
2-Hydroxy-6-methylbenzoic acid
Other names
2-Hydroxy-6-methylbenzoic acid
o-Cresotic acid
2,6-Cresotic acid
o-Cresotinic acid
2-Hydroxy-o-toluic acid
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
3DMet
2208693
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.259.902 Edit this at Wikidata
KEGG
UNII
  • InChI=1S/C8H8O3/c1-5-3-2-4-6(9)7(5)8(10)11/h2-4,9H,1H3,(H,10,11)
    Key: HCJMNOSIAGSZBM-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • CC1=C(C(=CC=C1)O)C(=O)O
Properties
C8H8O3
Molar mass 152.149 g·mol−1
Appearance white solid
Melting point 141.5–142 °C (286.7–287.6 °F; 414.6–415.1 K)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

6-Methylsalicylic acid is an organic compound with the formula CH3C6H3(CO2H)(OH). It is a white solid that is soluble in basic water and in polar organic solvents. At neutral pH, the acid exists as 6-methylsalicylate. Its functional groups include a carboxylic acid and a phenol group. It is one of four isomers of methylsalicylic acid.

It occurs naturally, being a biosynthetic precursor to m-cresol.[1] Its decarboxylation is catalyzed by 6-methylsalicylate decarboxylase:

6-methylsalicylate ⇌ m-cresol + CO2
  1. ^ Staunton, James; Weissman, Kira J. (2001). "Polyketide Biosynthesis: A Millennium Review". Natural Product Reports. 18 (4): 380–416. doi:10.1039/a909079g. PMID 11548049.