N-Ethanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone is the shortest alkyl homologue and most polar of a family of mediators of cell to cell interactions in bacterial biofilms. Acylhomoserine lactones have been detected in hundreds of bacterial species. N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHL) are involved in quorum sensing, controlling gene expression, and cellular metabolism. N-Ethanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone is not found in nature and can serve as a polar negative control for quorum sensing events.