Database/Fragrance/Anisaldehyde
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Anisaldehyde natural?

It depends. Most anisaldehyde is synthesised from petrochemical p-cresol; a smaller naturally-derived supply comes from oxidising anethole found in anise and fennel oil.

INCI nameAnisaldehyde
CAS123-11-5
FormulaC8H8O2 · 136.15 Da
FunctionFragrance · Perfuming
FeedstockThe dominant industrial route to anisaldehyde oxidises 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
petrochemical p-cresol oxidationp-cresol (petrochemical aromatic)0.00~80%, majority
natural anethole oxidationanise/fennel essential oil (anethole)1.00~20%, minority natural-fragrance market
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Two routes: p-cresol oxidation (petrochemical, 0.0) vs anethole oxidation (anise/fennel oil, natural, 1.0); whole-molecule routes, mass fractions not applicable.
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

The dominant industrial route to anisaldehyde oxidises petrochemical p-cresol. A naturally-derived version, made by oxidative cleavage of anethole from star anise or fennel oil, supplies the premium natural-fragrance market.

In plain English

A sweet, floral fragrance ingredient reminiscent of hawthorn or anise. Usually made synthetically from petrochemical aromatics, though a naturally-derived version from anise or fennel oil also exists.

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Structure

2D structure of Anisaldehyde

4-methoxybenzaldehyde

PubChem CID 31244 ↗

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. 2Anisaldehyde. PubChem CID 31244. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ANISALDEHYDE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ANISALDEHYDE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ANISALDEHYDE