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

Is Benzyl Isovalerate natural?

No. Benzyl alcohol is a petrochemical benzene derivative by this site's convention; commercial isovaleric acid is predominantly oxo-synthesised rather than fusel-oil derived.

INCI nameBenzyl Isovalerate
CAS103-38-8
FormulaC12H16O2 · 192.25 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockBenzyl isovalerate is made by esterifying petrochemical benzyl…

How we scored it

Benzyl alcohol fragment (107 Da, petrochemical per this site's convention) esterified with isovaleric acid (85 Da, treated as petrochemical oxo-synthesis default). 0/192 = 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

Benzyl isovalerate is made by esterifying petrochemical benzyl alcohol with isovaleric acid, mainly produced synthetically from petrochemical feedstocks. A minor fusel-oil-derived natural route exists for the acid but is not dominant.

In plain English

A fruity fragrance ingredient with an apple- or pear-like scent. It is made by combining a lab-made aromatic alcohol with a short fatty acid, and is treated as a synthetic material overall.

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Structure

2D structure of Benzyl Isovalerate

benzyl 3-methylbutanoate

PubChem CID 7651 ↗

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 Isovalerate. PubChem CID 7651. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3BENZYL ISOVALERATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4BENZYL ISOVALERATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=BENZYL%20ISOVALERATE