organic chemistry Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the science, scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic matter, organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain ...

, a methoxy group is the

functional group In organic chemistry, a functional group is any substituent or moiety (chemistry), moiety in a molecule that causes the molecule's characteristic chemical reactions. The same functional group will undergo the same or similar chemical reactions r ...

consisting of a

methyl group In organic chemistry, a methyl group is an alkyl derived from methane, containing one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms, having chemical formula (whereas normal methane has the formula ). In formulas, the group is often abbreviated a ...

bound to

oxygen Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...

. This

alkoxy group In chemistry, the alkoxy group is an alkyl group which is Single bond, singularly bonded to oxygen; thus . Denoted usually with apostrophe('). The range of alkoxy groups is vast, the simplest being methoxy (). An ethoxy group () is found in the ...

has the formula . On a

benzene ring Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C6H6. The benzene molecule is composed of six carbon atoms joined in a planar hexagonal ring with one hydrogen atom attached to each. Because it contains only carbon and hydr ...

, the

Hammett equation In organic chemistry, the Hammett equation describes a linear free-energy relationship relating reaction rates and equilibrium constants for many reactions involving benzoic acid derivatives with meta- and para-substituents to each other with j ...

classifies a methoxy substituent at the ''para'' position as an

electron-donating group Electron-rich is jargon that is used in multiple related meanings with either or both kinetic and thermodynamic implications: * with regards to electron-transfer, electron-rich species have low ionization energy and/or are reducing agents. Tetr ...

, but as an

electron-withdrawing group An electron-withdrawing group (EWG) is a Functional group, group or atom that has the ability to draw electron density toward itself and away from other adjacent atoms. This electron density transfer is often achieved by resonance or inductive effe ...

if at the ''meta'' position. At the ''ortho'' position,

steric effects Steric effects arise from the spatial arrangement of atoms. When atoms come close together there is generally a rise in the energy of the molecule. Steric effects are nonbonding interactions that influence the shape (conformational isomerism, co ...

are likely to cause a significant alteration in the Hammett equation prediction, which otherwise follows the same trend as that of the ''para'' position.

Occurrence

The simplest of methoxy compounds are

methanol Methanol (also called methyl alcohol and wood spirit, amongst other names) is an organic chemical compound and the simplest aliphatic Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol, with the chemical formula (a methyl group linked to a hydroxyl group, often ab ...

and

dimethyl ether Dimethyl ether (DME; also known as methoxymethane) is the organic compound with the formula CH3OCH3, (sometimes ambiguously simplified to C2H6O as it is an isomer of ethanol). The simplest ether, it is a colorless gas that is a useful precursor ...

. Other methoxy ethers include

anisole Anisole, or methoxybenzene, is an organic compound with the formula . It is a colorless liquid with a smell reminiscent of anise seed, and in fact many of its derivatives are found in natural and artificial fragrances. The compound is mainly ...

and

vanillin Vanillin is an organic compound with the molecular formula . It is a phenolic aldehyde. Its functional groups include aldehyde, hydroxyl, and ether. It is the primary component of the ethanolic extract of the vanilla bean. Synthetic vanillin ...

. Many metal alkoxides contain methoxy groups, such as

tetramethyl orthosilicate Tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) is the chemical compound with the formula Si(OCH3)4. This molecule consists of four methoxy groups bonded to a silicon atom. The basic properties are similar to the more popular tetraethyl orthosilicate, which i ...

and

titanium methoxide Titanium ethoxide is a chemical compound with the formula Ti4(OCH2CH3)16. It is a commercially available colorless liquid that is soluble in organic solvents but hydrolyzes readily. Its structure is more complex than suggested by its empirical for ...

Ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (either organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group () of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R). These compounds contain a distin ...

s with a methoxy group can be referred to as methyl esters, and the —COOCH₃ substituent is called a methoxycarbonyl.

Biosynthesis

In nature, methoxy groups are found on nucleosides subjected to 2′-''O''-methylation, for example, in variations of the 5′-cap structure known as cap-1 and cap-2. They are also common substituents in ''O''-methylated flavonoids, whose formation is catalyzed by

O-methyltransferase An O-methyltransferase (OMT) is a type of methyltransferase enzyme transferring a methyl group on a molecule. Examples are : * Acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase * Apigenin 4'-O-methyltransferase * Caffeate O-methyltransferase * Caffeoyl-CoA O-me ...

s that act on

phenol Phenol (also known as carbolic acid, phenolic acid, or benzenol) is an aromatic organic compound with the molecular formula . It is a white crystalline solid that is volatile and can catch fire. The molecule consists of a phenyl group () ...

s, such as catechol-''O''-methyl transferase (COMT). Many natural products in plants, such as

lignin Lignin is a class of complex organic polymers that form key structural materials in the support tissues of most plants. Lignins are particularly important in the formation of cell walls, especially in wood and bark, because they lend rigidit ...

s, are generated via catalysis by caffeoyl-CoA ''O''-methyltransferase.

Methoxylation

Organic methoxides are often produced by

methylation Methylation, in the chemistry, chemical sciences, is the addition of a methyl group on a substrate (chemistry), substrate, or the substitution of an atom (or group) by a methyl group. Methylation is a form of alkylation, with a methyl group replac ...

of alkoxides. Some aryl methoxides can be synthesized by metal-catalyzed methylation of

s, or by methoxylation of

aryl halide In organic chemistry, an aryl halide (also known as a haloarene) is an aromatic compound in which one or more hydrogen atoms directly bonded to an aromatic ring are replaced by a halide ion (such as fluorine F''−'', chlorine Cl−1,−3,−5, br ...

References

{{Molecules detected in outer space Alkoxy groups