Salicylaldehyde is the chemical compound

Chemical compound

A chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...

 with the formula C₆H₄CHO-2-OH. Along with 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde

3-Hydroxybenzaldehyde

3-Hydroxybenzaldehyde is one of the three isomers of hydroxybenzaldehyde.-Chemistry:It has been prepared from 3-nitrobenzaldehyde in a sequence of nitro group reduction, diazotization of the amine, and hydrolysis.-Metabolism:...

 and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde

4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde

4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde is one of the three isomers of hydroxybenzaldehyde. It can be found in the orchid Gastrodia elata.-Chemistry:The Dakin oxidation is an organic redox reaction in which an ortho- or para-hydroxylated phenyl aldehyde or ketone reacts with hydrogen peroxide in base to form a...

, it is one of the three isomer

Isomer

In chemistry, isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural formulas. Isomers do not necessarily share similar properties, unless they also have the same functional groups. There are many different classes of isomers, like stereoisomers, enantiomers, geometrical...

s of hydroxybenzaldehyde

Phenolic aldehyde

Phenolic aldehydes are a type of natural phenol. Phenolics aldehydes can be found in wines and cognacs.Examples :* Hydroxybenzaldehydes* Protocatechuic aldehyde* Vanillin and isovanillin...

. This colorless oily liquid has a bitter almond odor at higher concentration and a characteristic buckwheat aroma at lower concentration. Salicylaldehyde was identified as a characteristic aroma component of buckwheat

Buckwheat

Buckwheat refers to a variety of plants in the dicot family Polygonaceae: the Eurasian genus Fagopyrum, the North American genus Eriogonum, and the Northern Hemisphere genus Fallopia. Either of the latter two may be referred to as "wild buckwheat"...

. Salicylaldehyde is a key precursor to a variety chelating agent

Chelation

Chelation is the formation or presence of two or more separate coordinate bonds between apolydentate ligand and a single central atom....

s, some of which are commercially important.