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

Is Citronellyl Butyrate natural?

It depends. Citronellol is natural origin from essential oils or pine-turpentine terpenes and petrochemical from isobutylene-based citral; butyric acid is natural from fermentation and petrochemical from the oxo process.

INCI nameCitronellyl Butyrate
CAS141-16-2
FormulaC14H26O2 · 226.35 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockMostly produced by esterifying synthetic citronellol with oxo-process…

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
Pine-derived citronellol + petrochemical butyric acidcitronellol made from pine-turpentine terpenes + oxo-process butyric acid0.69large sharecitronellyl 155.26 Da natural of 226.36 Da
Petrochemical citronellol + petrochemical butyric acidcitronellol from isobutylene-based citral + oxo-process butyric acid0.00large share
naturalcitronella/rose-oil citronellol esterified with fermentation butyric acid1.00~20%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Citronellyl part C10H19O 155.26 Da + butyryl C4H7O 71.10 Da = 226.36 Da. Natural citronellol and fermentation butyric acid: 1.00. Pine-derived citronellol with oxo butyric acid: 155.26/226.36 = 0.69. Isobutylene-based citronellol: 0.00.
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

Mostly produced by esterifying synthetic citronellol with oxo-process butyric acid; that citronellol is natural origin when made from pine turpentine and petrochemical when made from isobutylene-based citral. A smaller natural-fragrance segment uses citronella-oil citronellol and fermentation butyric acid.

In plain English

A fruity, apple-like fragrance ingredient made by combining a rose-scented alcohol with a short fatty acid. The alcohol can come from flower oils, pine terpenes or petrochemicals, so its natural content depends on the supplier.

CosIng definition: Citronellyl butanoate

Natural alternatives with the same function

2,6-Dimethyl-7-Octen-2-Ol 100% natural origin

Dihydromyrcenol, a fresh, citrus-lime, slightly metallic fragrance ingredient used in many perfumes and cleaning products. It is made…

 Abies Alba Cone Extract 100% natural origin

An extract from fir tree cones that adds a fresh, forest-like scent to cosmetic products.

 Abies Alba Leaf Oil 100% natural origin

Essential oil distilled from fir tree needles, used for its fresh, woody fragrance. A whole natural essential oil.

 Abies Alba Needle Extract 100% natural origin

A fir-needle extract used mainly to add a fresh, woody scent to cosmetics. It comes from extracting the…

 Abies Alba Needle Oil 100% natural origin

An essential oil steam-distilled from the needles of the European silver fir. It gives fragrances and toiletries a…

 Abies Balsamea Needle Extract 100% natural origin

A balsam fir needle extract used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, made by extracting the needles of…

Structure

2D structure of Citronellyl Butyrate

3,7-dimethyloct-6-enyl butanoate

PubChem CID 8835 ↗

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. 2Citronellyl Butyrate. PubChem CID 8835. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CITRONELLYL BUTYRATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CITRONELLYL BUTYRATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CITRONELLYL%20BUTYRATE