Database/Solvent/Methyl Acetate
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Methyl Acetate natural?

No. Both methanol and the dominant commercial acetic-acid route are petrochemical; acetic acid is not among this site's fermentation acids.

INCI nameMethyl Acetate
CAS79-20-9
FormulaC3H6O2 · 74.08 Da
FunctionSolvent · Perfuming
FeedstockMethyl acetate is made by esterifying petrochemical methanol…

How we scored it

Methanol (petrochemical) + acetic acid (commercially dominant methanol-carbonylation route, petrochemical) -> 0/74.08 = 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

Methyl acetate is made by esterifying petrochemical methanol with acetic acid, which is dominantly produced by methanol carbonylation rather than fermentation. A minor natural vinegar-derived acetic acid exists but is not the cosmetic-grade commercial norm.

In plain English

A synthetic solvent formed from methanol and acetic acid, both mainly petrochemical-derived at commercial scale. Used to dissolve other ingredients and add a light fruity note in fragranced products.

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Structure

2D structure of Methyl Acetate

methyl acetate

PubChem CID 6584 ↗

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. 2Methyl Acetate. PubChem CID 6584. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3METHYL ACETATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4METHYL ACETATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=METHYL%20ACETATE