Database/Perfuming/Amyl Butyrate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Amyl Butyrate natural?

It depends. Pentanol from fusel oil (fermentation) or petrochemical oxo process; butyric acid from fermentation/dairy or petrochemical oxidation.

INCI nameAmyl Butyrate
CAS540-18-1
FormulaC9H18O2 · 158.24 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockMost commercial amyl butyrate is esterified from petrochemical…

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
synthetic (dominant)oxo-process pentanol + petrochemical butyric acid0.00~70%
natural/fermentationfusel-oil pentanol + fermentation butyric acid1.00~30%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Pentyl C5H11 (71) + butanoate C4H7O2 (87) = 158, matching given MW. Natural route: fusel-oil pentanol + fermentation butyric acid = 1.0. Dominant synthetic route: oxo-process pentanol + petrochemical butyric acid = 0.0. Headline shows the best route (1.00), as for every route-dependent entry on the site.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Most commercial amyl butyrate is esterified from petrochemical oxo-process pentanol and butyric acid. A minority natural-flavour-grade supply uses fusel-oil (fermentation by-product) pentanol with fermentation-derived butyric acid.

In plain English

A fragrance ingredient with a fruity, banana-like odour, used to scent cosmetic products. It is made by combining a five-carbon alcohol with butyric acid; both can come from fermentation or from petrochemical processing, depending on the supplier.

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Structure

2D structure of Amyl Butyrate

pentyl butanoate

PubChem CID 10890 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Amyl Butyrate. PubChem CID 10890. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3AMYL BUTYRATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4AMYL BUTYRATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=AMYL%20BUTYRATE