Database/Perfuming/Ethyl Anisate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Ethyl Anisate natural?

It depends. p-Anisic acid is produced both by oxidising natural anethole and from petrochemical cresol, so the ester is route-dependent. Anethole is scored 1.0 on the site.

INCI nameEthyl Anisate
CAS94-30-4
FormulaC10H12O3 · 180.20 Da
FunctionPerfuming
Feedstockp-Anisic acid esterified with ethanol.

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
anethole-derived anisic acidp-anisic acid by oxidation of natural anethole (star anise, fennel) + fermentation ethanol1.00Every carbon natural.
petrochemical anisic acidp-anisic acid from p-cresol methyl ether + fermentation ethanol0.25Ethoxy only: 45.1/180.2 = 0.25.
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

C10H12O3 180.2 Da: ethoxy 45.1 Da is fermentation ethanol in both routes; the anisoyl fragment is natural when the anisic acid is made from anethole (1.00) and petrochemical when made from p-cresol (0.25). Headline shows the best route.
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

p-Anisic acid esterified with ethanol.

In plain English

A synthetic fragrance ingredient with a sweet, aniseed-like scent, used to add scent to cosmetic products. Manufactured from petrochemical aromatic building blocks.

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Structure

2D structure of Ethyl Anisate

ethyl 4-methoxybenzoate

PubChem CID 60979 ↗

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. 2Ethyl Anisate. PubChem CID 60979. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ETHYL ANISATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ETHYL ANISATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ETHYL%20ANISATE