Database/Perfuming/Methyl Cinnamate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Methyl Cinnamate natural?

It depends. Methanol is always petrochemical; cinnamic acid is usually synthetic (benzaldehyde route) though a natural cassia-derived supply exists.

INCI nameMethyl Cinnamate
CAS103-26-4
FormulaC10H10O2 · 162.18 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockDominant route esterifies synthetic cinnamic acid (from benzaldehyde)…

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
synthetic cinnamic acid + methanolbenzaldehyde + natural-gas methanol0.00~70%
natural cinnamic acid + methanolcassia/cinnamon bark oil cinnamic acid + methanol0.81~30%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Cinnamoyl C9H7O 131.2Da + methoxy CH3O 31.0Da(methanol, always petrochemical) → synthetic route 0/162.2=0.0; natural-cinnamoyl route 131.2/162.2=0.81
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

Dominant route esterifies synthetic cinnamic acid (from benzaldehyde) with petrochemical methanol. A minor route uses cinnamic acid from cassia or cinnamon bark oil.

In plain English

A sweet, fruity-smelling fragrance ester. Typically made by combining synthetic cinnamic acid from petrochemical benzaldehyde with methanol; a naturally-sourced version also exists.

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Structure

2D structure of Methyl Cinnamate

methyl (E)-3-phenylprop-2-enoate

PubChem CID 637520 ↗

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 Cinnamate. PubChem CID 637520. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3METHYL CINNAMATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4METHYL CINNAMATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=METHYL%20CINNAMATE