Occurs as the acetate in seeds and fruits of Heracleum sphondylium L. and H. giganteum Fisch., Umbelliferae. Lab prepn by the action of butylmagnesium bromide on ethylene oxide: Dreger, Org. Synth. coll. vol. I, 306 (2nd ed., 1941). Reduction of 1,3-hexadienal with iron wire in the presence of nickel acetate: Zeisel, Neuwirth, Ann. 433, 127 (1923); cf. Baumgarten, Glatzel, Ber. 59, 2659 (1926); Kuhn, Hoffer, Ber. 63, 2165 (1930). Industrial prepn by reducing ethyl caproate with sodium in abs alcohol: Bouveault, Blanc, DE 164294 (1903). Toxicity study: H. F. Smyth et al., Arch. Ind. Hyg. Occup. Med. 4, 119 (1951).