M-Cresol

"meta"-Cresol, also 3-methylphenol, is an organic compound with the formula CH3C6H4(OH). It is a colourless, viscous liquid that is used as an intermediate in the production of other chemicals. It is a derivative of phenol and is an isomer of "p"-cresol and "o"-cresol.
Production.
Together with many other compounds, "m"-cresol is traditionally extracted from coal tar, the volatile materials obtained in the production of coke from (bituminous) coal. This residue contains a few percent by weight of phenol and isomeric cresols. In the cymene–cresol process, toluene is alkylated with propylene to give isomers of cymene, which can be oxidatively dealkylated analogous to the cumene process. Another method, involves carbonylation of a mixture of methallyl chloride and acetylene in the presence of nickel carbonyl.
Applications.
"m"-Cresol is a precursor to numerous compounds. Important examples include:
Natural occurrences.
"m"-Cresol is a component found in temporal glands secretions during musth in male African elephants ("Loxodonta africana").
"m"-Cresol is a constituent of tobacco smoke.
"m"-Cresol is a component found in secretions from the ant Colobopsis_saundersi during Autothysis. 