Database/Astringent/Menthyl Succinate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Menthyl Succinate natural?

It depends. Menthol reaches the market both as a mint-oil crystallisate and as a fully synthetic material, and succinic acid is made both from maleic anhydride and by fermentation. Neither half can be fixed in advance, so the ester carries a four-way route table rather than one number.

INCI nameMenthyl Succinate
CAS77341-67-4
FormulaC14H24O4 · 256.34 Da
FunctionAstringent
FeedstockMade by esterifying menthol with succinic acid. Most…

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
mint-oil menthol esterified with petrochemical succinic acidcorn mint oil menthol + succinic acid from maleic anhydride0.61~45%, commonest combinationonly the menthyl fragment is natural origin
mint-oil menthol esterified with fermentation succinic acidcorn mint oil menthol + bio-based succinic acid1.00~20%, growing
synthetic menthol esterified with petrochemical succinic acidm-cresol or citral route menthol + succinic acid from maleic anhydride0.00~25%
synthetic menthol esterified with fermentation succinic acidm-cresol or citral route menthol + bio-based succinic acid0.39~10%only the succinate fragment is natural origin
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Menthyl succinate is C14H24O4, 256.34 Da. It splits into a menthyl fragment (C10H19O, 155.26 Da) and a succinate fragment (C4H5O3, 101.08 Da). Both halves are route-dependent on this site, so four feedstock combinations exist. Mint-oil menthol with maleic-anhydride succinic acid gives 155.26/256.34 = 0.61; mint-oil menthol with fermentation succinic acid gives 1.00; synthetic menthol with fermentation succinic acid gives 101.08/256.34 = 0.39; synthetic menthol with petrochemical succinic acid gives 0.00.
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 esterifying menthol with succinic acid. Most menthol is still crystallised from corn mint oil, though a large synthetic supply from m-cresol or citral also exists. Succinic acid is mainly made by hydrogenating petrochemical maleic anhydride, with a growing fermentation-derived share.

In plain English

A cooling ingredient made by combining menthol (from mint oil) with succinic acid. Gives skincare and lip-care products a fresh, cooling sensation.

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Structure

2D structure of Menthyl Succinate

4-[(1R,2S,5R)-5-methyl-2-propan-2-ylcyclohexyl]oxy-4-oxobutanoic acid

PubChem CID 11219061 ↗

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. 2Menthyl Succinate. PubChem CID 11219061. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3MENTHYL SUCCINATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4MENTHYL SUCCINATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=MENTHYL%20SUCCINATE