Skatole (Sk)

Skatole is a mildly toxic white crystalline organic compound belonging to the indole family. It occurs naturally in feces and coal tar and has a strong fecal odor. In low concentrations, it has a flowery smell and is found in several flowers and essential oils, including those of orange blossoms, jasmine, and Ziziphus mauritiana. It is used as a fragrance and fixative in many perfumes and as an aroma compound. Skatole can be found as a white crystalline or fine powder solid, and it browns upon aging. It is nitrogenous, and one of the rings is a pyrrole. It is soluble in alcohol and benzene, and it gives a violet color in potassium ferrocyanide and sulfuric acid. Skatole has a double ring system that displays aromaticity. Skatole has been shown to be an attractant to gravid mosquitoes in both field and laboratory conditions. Skatole has been shown to cause pulmonary edema in goats, sheep, rats, and some strains of mice.