3,3-Dimethylhexane is a colourless, odourless liquid, chemical compound in the family of

hydrocarbon In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons are examples of group 14 hydrides. Hydrocarbons are generally colourless and Hydrophobe, hydrophobic; their odor is usually fain ...

s which has a formula of C₈H₁₈. It is an

isomer In chemistry, isomers are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formula – that is, the same number of atoms of each element (chemistry), element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. ''Isomerism'' refers to the exi ...

octane Octane is a hydrocarbon and also an alkane with the chemical formula C8H18, and the condensed structural formula CH3(CH2)6CH3. Octane has many structural isomers that differ by the location of branching in the carbon chain. One of these isomers ...

, where two methylene hydrogens at the third position in a hexane molecule have been replaced with two methyl groups. 3,3-Dimethylhexane is found in various herbs and spices. It is also a constituent in the oil of osmanthus fragrans and

Ginseng Ginseng () is the root of plants in the genus ''Panax'', such as South China ginseng (''Panax notoginseng, P. notoginseng''), Korean ginseng (''Panax ginseng, P. ginseng''), and American ginseng (''American ginseng, P. quinquefol ...

. 3,3-Dimethylhexane is an acyclic alkane, where there are no cycles in the structure of the molecule. It is one of the main extracts from

cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, biscuits, b ...

bark using supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, with it being 10.6% of the extracted material; it is second behind trans-

cinnamaldehyde Cinnamaldehyde is an organic compound with the formula or . Occurring naturally as predominantly the ''trans'' (''E'') isomer, it gives cinnamon its flavor and odor. It is a phenylpropanoid that is naturally synthesized by the shikimate pathway ...

with it being 32.1% of the extracted material.

Uses

3,3-dimethylhexane can be used in the production of

phytochemical Phytochemicals are naturally-occurring chemicals present in or extracted from plants. Some phytochemicals are nutrients for the plant, while others are metabolites produced to enhance plant survivability and reproduction. The fields of ext ...

compounds which are effective in the removal of heavy metals, since when

cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria ( ) are a group of autotrophic gram-negative bacteria that can obtain biological energy via oxygenic photosynthesis. The name "cyanobacteria" () refers to their bluish green (cyan) color, which forms the basis of cyanobacteri ...

are exposed to

aliphatic compound In organic chemistry, hydrocarbons ( compounds composed solely of carbon and hydrogen) are divided into two classes: aromatic compounds and aliphatic compounds (; G. ''aleiphar'', fat, oil). Aliphatic compounds can be saturated (in which all ...

s, or

alkane In organic chemistry, an alkane, or paraffin (a historical trivial name that also has other meanings), is an acyclic saturated hydrocarbon. In other words, an alkane consists of hydrogen and carbon atoms arranged in a tree structure in whi ...

s, and some heavy metals they produce

compounds which are effective in the removal of heavy metals. 3,3-dimethylhexane being both an

and an

can be used in this process.

References

Hydrocarbons {{Hydrocarbon-stub