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

Is Citronellyl Propionate natural?

It depends. Citronellol is natural origin from essential oils or pine-turpentine terpenes and petrochemical from isobutylene-based citral; propionic acid is usually petrochemical.

INCI nameCitronellyl Propionate
CAS141-14-0
FormulaC13H24O2 · 212.33 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockMost citronellyl propionate is citronellol esterified with 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
Natural essential-oil isolateCitronellol from citronella/rose/geranium oil esterified with natural propionic acid1.00~20%
Pine-derived citronellol + petrochemical propionic acidcitronellol made from pine-turpentine terpenes, esterified with oxo-process propionic acid0.73large sharecitronellyl 155.26 Da natural of 212.33 Da
Petrochemical citronellol + petrochemical propionic acidcitronellol hydrogenated from isobutylene-based citral, esterified with oxo-process propionic acid0.00large share
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 + propionyl C3H5O 57.07 Da = 212.33 Da. Natural citronellol and natural propionic acid: 1.00. Pine-derived citronellol with petrochemical propionic acid: 155.26/212.33 = 0.73. 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

Most citronellyl propionate is citronellol esterified with petrochemical propionic acid; the citronellol is made from pine-turpentine terpenes (natural origin) or from isobutylene-based citral (petrochemical). A natural-isolate route uses citronella or rose oil citronellol.

In plain English

A fragrance ingredient with a rosy, fruity smell. It joins citronellol, from rose-type oils or pine terpenes or petrochemicals, to propionic acid, so its natural content depends on the supplier.

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Structure

2D structure of Citronellyl Propionate

3,7-dimethyloct-6-enyl propanoate

PubChem CID 8834 ↗

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 Propionate. PubChem CID 8834. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CITRONELLYL PROPIONATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CITRONELLYL PROPIONATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CITRONELLYL%20PROPIONATE