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

Is Propyl Acetate natural?

No. Both n-propanol and the dominant commercial acetic-acid route are petrochemical; no natural fragment is present.

INCI namePropyl Acetate
CAS109-60-4
FormulaC5H10O2 · 102.13 Da
FunctionSolvent · Perfuming
FeedstockPropyl acetate is made by esterifying petrochemical propanol…

How we scored it

Propanol (petrochemical, propylene-derived) + acetic acid (dominant methanol-carbonylation route, petrochemical) -> 0/102.13 = 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

Propyl acetate is made by esterifying petrochemical propanol with acetic acid, which is dominantly produced by methanol carbonylation. A minor fermentation-derived acetic acid exists but is not the commercial norm.

In plain English

A synthetic solvent made from propanol and acetic acid, both mainly petrochemical-derived commercially. Used to dissolve ingredients and add a light fruity scent note in fragranced formulas.

Natural alternatives with the same function

Structure

2D structure of Propyl Acetate

propyl acetate

PubChem CID 7997 ↗

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. 2Propyl Acetate. PubChem CID 7997. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3PROPYL ACETATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4PROPYL ACETATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PROPYL%20ACETATE