Database/Perfuming/Methyl Isoeugenol
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Methyl Isoeugenol natural?

Mostly. Natural isoeugenol from essential oils is the backbone; the O-methyl cap is typically petrochemical-derived.

INCI nameMethyl Isoeugenol
CAS93-16-3
FormulaC11H14O2 · 178.23 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockUsually made by methylating natural isoeugenol, found in…

How we scored it

Isoeugenol backbone (natural essential-oil constituent) C10H11O2 163.2 Da + petrochemical methyl cap CH3 15.0 Da = 178.2 Da; 163.2/178.2 = 0.92.
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

Usually made by methylating natural isoeugenol, found in oils such as ylang-ylang and nutmeg, using a petrochemical methyl source. Direct isolation from essential oils is a minor alternative route.

In plain English

A spicy fragrance ingredient based on a natural plant-oil compound, with a small petrochemical-derived methyl group added during manufacture.

Natural alternatives with the same function

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Structure

2D structure of Methyl Isoeugenol

1,2-dimethoxy-4-prop-1-enylbenzene

PubChem CID 7128 ↗

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 Isoeugenol. PubChem CID 7128. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3METHYL ISOEUGENOL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4METHYL ISOEUGENOL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=METHYL%20ISOEUGENOL