Database/Perfuming/Benzyl Formate
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Benzyl Formate natural?

No. Both benzyl alcohol and formic acid are produced from petrochemical feedstocks (toluene/benzene and methanol).

INCI nameBenzyl Formate
CAS104-57-4
FormulaC8H8O2 · 136.15 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockMade by esterifying petrochemical benzyl alcohol with formic…

How we scored it

Benzyl (petrochemical benzyl alcohol) 107.13 Da + formyl (petrochemical formic acid) 29.02 Da; both petrochemical, 0.0
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

Made by esterifying petrochemical benzyl alcohol with formic acid, itself mostly produced via methanol carbonylation. No significant natural-isolation route exists commercially.

In plain English

A fragrance ester made entirely from petrochemical building blocks (benzyl alcohol and formic acid). Adds a fruity scent to perfumed products.

Natural alternatives with the same function

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Structure

2D structure of Benzyl Formate

benzyl formate

PubChem CID 7708 ↗

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. 2Benzyl Formate. PubChem CID 7708. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3BENZYL FORMATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4BENZYL FORMATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=BENZYL%20FORMATE