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

Is Isoamyl Propionate natural?

It depends. Isoamyl alcohol may come from fusel oil (natural) or petrochemical synthesis; propionic acid is petrochemical either way.

INCI nameIsoamyl Propionate
CAS105-68-0
FormulaC8H16O2 · 144.21 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockEsterifies isoamyl alcohol, from fermentation fusel oil or…

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
fusel-oil isoamyl alcohol + petrochemical propionic acidfermentation fusel oil / petrochemical oxo-acid0.60~30%
fully petrochemical isoamyl alcohol + propionic acidpetrochemical oxo-synthesis0.00~70%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Ester = isoamyl alcohol (88Da) + propionic acid (74Da) minus H2O; natural-alcohol route 87/144=0.60, fully-petrochemical route 0/144=0.0. Headline shows the best route (0.60), as for every route-dependent entry on the site.
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

Esterifies isoamyl alcohol, from fermentation fusel oil or petrochemical oxo-synthesis, with propionic acid, which is petrochemical-derived. Most industrial supply now uses synthetic isoamyl alcohol.

In plain English

A fruity-scented ingredient used in perfume. It's typically made by combining an alcohol and an acid in a factory reaction, and can come from either fermentation byproducts or petroleum-based chemistry.

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Structure

2D structure of Isoamyl Propionate

3-methylbutyl propanoate

PubChem CID 7772 ↗

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 Propionate. PubChem CID 7772. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ISOAMYL PROPIONATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ISOAMYL PROPIONATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ISOAMYL%20PROPIONATE