1-Octanol is an alcohol with a chain of eight carbon atoms. It is often used in research and industrial chemistry as a perfume and flavor additive to food and beverages. It has a pungent odor. Esters of octanol, such as octyl acetate, occur as components of essential oils. It is used to evaluate the lipophilicity of pharmaceutical products.

Uses

1-Octanol is also an industrial solvent, surfactant, foam control agent, and biodiesel additive.

Octanol isomers are structurally similar to ethanol and 1-octanol has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for human use as a food additive. In the guinea pig brainstem slice preparation, 1-octanol acted as a potent antagonist of the low threshold calcium channel in IO neurons.