Database/Perfuming/Isobutyl Salicylate
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Isobutyl Salicylate natural?

No. Both salicylic acid (phenol derivative) and isobutanol (synthetic oxo-alcohol) are petrochemical per this site's convention; no natural fragment present.

INCI nameIsobutyl Salicylate
CAS87-19-4
FormulaC11H14O3 · 194.23 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockMade by Fischer esterification of synthetic salicylic acid…

How we scored it

Salicylate C7H5O2 121.1 Da (petrochemical) + isobutoxy C4H9O 73.1 Da (petrochemical) = 194.2 Da -> 0/194.2 = 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

Made by Fischer esterification of synthetic salicylic acid with isobutanol, both petrochemically manufactured. No natural-extraction route is commercially significant for either building block.

In plain English

A fragrance ingredient made by combining lab-made salicylic acid with a synthetic alcohol. Gives formulas a sweet, herbal scent.

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Structure

2D structure of Isobutyl Salicylate

2-methylpropyl 2-hydroxybenzoate

PubChem CID 6873 ↗

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. 2Isobutyl Salicylate. PubChem CID 6873. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ISOBUTYL SALICYLATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ISOBUTYL SALICYLATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ISOBUTYL%20SALICYLATE