Thujyl alcohol (tanacetyl alcohol), C10H18O, occurs in oil of wormwood, in part as such, in part as esters of acetic, valeric and possibly also of palmitic acids.

Artificially it was obtained by Semmler1) and by Wallach2) by the reduction of thujone. The constitution of thujone has not yet been definitely ascertained. (Comp. thujone).

Semmler1) found:

B. p. 92,5° (13 mm.); d20o0,9249; nD 1,4635.

Wallach'2) has recorded the following constants:

B. p. 210 to 212°; d20o0,9265.

Thujyl alcohol reveals the properties of a secondary alcohol; it is readily oxidized to the ketone thujone. It is this property that is used for its identification. Thujone oxime melts at 54°.