Database/Perfuming/Phenethyl Formate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Phenethyl Formate natural?

It depends. Phenethyl alcohol is route-dependent; the formyl group is petrochemical, as for Geranyl and Citronellyl Formate.

INCI namePhenethyl Formate
CAS104-62-1
FormulaC9H10O2 · 150.17 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockPhenethyl alcohol (natural or synthetic) esterified with petrochemical…

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
natural phenethylphenethyl of natural origin + formic acid from petrochemical synthesis0.81Phenethyl fragment C8H9O 121.2/150.2 = 0.81.
syntheticphenethyl and formic acid both from petrochemical synthesis0.00No natural carbon.
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Phenethyl Formate C9H10O2 150.2 Da: the phenethyl fragment C8H9O 121.2 Da is natural only from a natural source; the formic acid fragment 29.0 Da is petrochemical in every commercial route. Routes: natural phenethyl 0.81, synthetic 0.00. Headline shows the best route.
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

Phenethyl alcohol (natural or synthetic) esterified with petrochemical formic acid.

In plain English

A synthetic fragrance ingredient with a fruity, rosy note, used in very small amounts to scent cosmetics.

Natural alternatives with the same function

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Structure

2D structure of Phenethyl Formate

2-phenylethyl formate

PubChem CID 7711 ↗

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. 2Phenethyl Formate. PubChem CID 7711. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3PHENETHYL FORMATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4PHENETHYL FORMATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PHENETHYL%20FORMATE