Database/Perfuming/Cinnamyl Acetate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Cinnamyl Acetate natural?

It depends. The acetate cap is always petrochemical; the cinnamyl alcohol portion is storax-derived in a minority of supply and synthesised from petrochemical benzaldehyde in the majority.

INCI nameCinnamyl Acetate
CAS103-54-8
FormulaC11H12O2 · 176.21 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockMost cinnamyl acetate is made from cinnamyl alcohol…

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
Syntheticbenzaldehyde-derived cinnamyl alcohol + acetic anhydride0.00~75%
Natural alcohol, synthetic acetylationstorax balsam cinnamyl alcohol + acetic anhydride0.76~25%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Ester = cinnamyl alcohol (natural, storax-derived, 133 Da OR synthetic from petrochemical benzaldehyde, 0 Da) + acetyl (petrochemical acetic-anhydride cap, 43 Da, always 0). Natural route: 133/176=0.76; synthetic route: 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

Most cinnamyl acetate is made from cinnamyl alcohol synthesised from petrochemical benzaldehyde, then acetylated with petrochemical acetic anhydride. A smaller 'natural' supply uses cinnamyl alcohol isolated from storax balsam, still acetylated with a petrochemical acetyl group.

In plain English

A sweet, cinnamon-floral fragrance ester. The cinnamon-scented alcohol part can come from balsam trees or be synthesized from petroleum-derived benzaldehyde, and it's then combined with a synthetic acetate group.

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Structure

2D structure of Cinnamyl Acetate

[(E)-3-phenylprop-2-enyl] acetate

PubChem CID 5282110 ↗

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. 2Cinnamyl Acetate. PubChem CID 5282110. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CINNAMYL ACETATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CINNAMYL ACETATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CINNAMYL%20ACETATE