Database/Perfuming/Isoamyl Phenylacetate
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Isoamyl Phenylacetate natural?

No. Phenylacetic acid is always petrochemical (aromatic ring); isoamyl alcohol for this fragrance-grade ester is typically the cheaper petrochemical grade too.

INCI nameIsoamyl Phenylacetate
CAS102-19-2
FormulaC13H18O2 · 206.28 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockIsoamyl phenylacetate is made by esterifying phenylacetic acid,…

How we scored it

Splits into isoamyl (C5H11-, 71.14 Da) and phenylacetate (C8H7O2-, 135.14 Da) fragments; phenylacetic acid is an aromatic petrochemical (toluene/benzyl-chloride route) and the isoamyl alcohol used commercially is predominantly petrochemical too -> 0/206.28 = 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

Isoamyl phenylacetate is made by esterifying phenylacetic acid, an aromatic petrochemical, with isoamyl alcohol, itself usually petrochemical for this application. A minor fusel-oil-derived isoamyl alcohol alternative exists but does not change the petrochemical acid fragment.

In plain English

A honey- or floral-scented fragrance ingredient used to perfume cosmetics. It's an ester of isoamyl alcohol and phenylacetic acid; the acid part always comes from petrochemical sources, making this predominantly a synthetic ingredient.

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Structure

2D structure of Isoamyl Phenylacetate

3-methylbutyl 2-phenylacetate

PubChem CID 7600 ↗

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. 2Isoamyl Phenylacetate. PubChem CID 7600. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ISOAMYL PHENYLACETATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ISOAMYL PHENYLACETATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ISOAMYL%20PHENYLACETATE