Identification of urinary 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzoic and 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acids after dietary intake of ethyl vanillin.

It has been discovered recently that several patients undergoing urinary organic acid profiling excrete high concentrations of 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzoic acid and traces of 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid. These are believed to be the consequences of feeding the patients with synthetic diets flavoured with 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, a vanilla-like artificial flavouring added to improve patient acceptance and taste. The syntheses, mass spectra and gas chromatographic behaviour of these and related compounds are presented.