1,8-Octanediol, also known as octamethylene glycol, is a diol with the molecular formula HO(CH)OH, a white solid. It can be produced with high purity by hydrogenation of esters of suberic acid.
1,8-Octanediol, which has a low melting temperature, can be found at high purity for relatively low cost. These characteristics are ideal for a reference material at moderate temperature in the context of solid-liquid Phase-Changing Materials (PCMs).
1,8-Octanediol dihexanoate strongly attracts adult male Parallelostethus attenuatus click beetles, and the pheromone of this species may consist entirely of this compound.
It is sometimes an ingredient of cosmetics as a plasticizer.
As with other fatty alcohols, octane-1,8-diol is used in cosmetics as an emollient and humectant.
1,8-Octanediol is used as a monomer in the synthesis of some polymers such as polyesters and polyurethanes.
For example, poly(octanediol-co-citrate) is a biodegradable polymer that can be made antibacterial for biomedical applications. This polymer, abbreviated POC and also sometimes called poly(octamethylene-citrate), is promising as a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, and has been extensively investigated in relation to soft tissue engineering.
A polymer created from 1,8-octanediol, citric acid, and sebacic acid, called polyoctanediol citrate/sebacate [p(OCS)], has also been synthesized.
It can also be used in the synthesis of PCE.