Methyl eugenol

Methyl eugenol (allylveratrol) is a natural chemical compound classified as a phenylpropene, a type of phenylpropanoid.

It is the methyl ether of eugenol and is important to insect behavior and pollination.

The compound may have evolved in response to pathogens, as methyl eugenol has some antifungal activity.

[3] As of October 2018, the US FDA withdrew authorization for the use of methyl eugenol as a synthetic flavoring substance for use in food because petitioners (including the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Center for Food Safety, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest) provided data demonstrating that these additives induce cancer in laboratory animals.

[4] FDA noted the action was despite its continuing stance that this substance does not pose a risk to public health under the conditions of its intended use.

Skeletal formula of methyl eugenol
Ball-and-stick model of the methyl eugenol molecule