Database/Perfuming/Guaiacol
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Guaiacol natural?

It depends. Guaiacol is either distilled from wood tar (natural) or synthesized from petrochemical catechol and methanol; synthetic supply dominates.

INCI nameGuaiacol
CAS90-05-1
FormulaC7H8O2 · 124.14 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockMost commercial guaiacol is synthesized from catechol and…

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
wood-tar distillationbeechwood/guaiac wood tar, natural1.00~20%
catechol methylationpetrochemical catechol + methanol0.00~80%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Two routes: natural wood-tar distillation gives 1.0; synthetic catechol plus methanol gives 0.0. Synthetic dominates industrial supply; routes are never averaged.
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 commercial guaiacol is synthesized from catechol and methanol. A smaller natural-labeled supply comes from beechwood tar distillation.

In plain English

A smoky, spicy-scented compound used in fragrances. It can be distilled from wood tar or made synthetically from petrochemical feedstocks; synthetic production dominates supply.

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Structure

2D structure of Guaiacol

2-methoxyphenol

PubChem CID 460 ↗

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. 2Guaiacol. PubChem CID 460. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3GUAIACOL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4GUAIACOL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=GUAIACOL