Database/Perfuming/Phenoxyethyl Isobutyrate
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Phenoxyethyl Isobutyrate natural?

No. Phenoxyethanol (phenol plus ethylene oxide) and isobutyric acid are both established petrochemical feedstocks.

INCI namePhenoxyethyl Isobutyrate
CAS103-60-6
FormulaC12H16O3 · 208.25 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockManufactured by esterifying phenoxyethanol (from phenol and ethylene…

How we scored it

Phenoxyethyl C8H9O2 137/208 Da (phenol+ethylene oxide, petrochemical) + isobutyryl C4H7O 71/208 Da (petrochemical oxo-acid); both petrochemical, 0/208.
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

Manufactured by esterifying phenoxyethanol (from phenol and ethylene oxide) with isobutyric acid from the propylene oxo process. No natural-isolate route is used commercially.

In plain English

A synthetic fragrance ingredient with a fruity, rum-like note, used in small doses to scent cosmetic products.

Natural alternatives with the same function

Structure

2D structure of Phenoxyethyl Isobutyrate

2-phenoxyethyl 2-methylpropanoate

PubChem CID 61005 ↗

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. 2Phenoxyethyl Isobutyrate. PubChem CID 61005. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3PHENOXYETHYL ISOBUTYRATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4PHENOXYETHYL ISOBUTYRATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PHENOXYETHYL%20ISOBUTYRATE