Ethyl Maltol (CAS 4940-11-8) — sweet base Note Fragrance Ingredient
Ethyl Maltol
CAS 4940-11-8
What Is Ethyl Maltol?
Ethyl Maltol is a synthetic compound used to enhance sweet, caramel-like notes in perfumes and flavored products. You’ll encounter it in gourmand fragrances, candies, and some baked goods. This ingredient matters because it can dramatically amplify sweetness perception at very low concentrations, acting like a ‘volume knob’ for sugary accords without adding actual sugar.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFE
What Does Ethyl Maltol Smell Like?
Ethyl Maltol delivers an intense, jammy sweetness reminiscent of freshly spun cotton candy dissolving on the tongue. At 10% dilution, it evokes warm caramel drizzled over ripe strawberries. The molecule’s pyramidal shape allows perfect fit into sweetness receptors, creating a lingering effect that amplifies surrounding vanilla and fruit notes. Unlike sugar, it maintains this character even in drydown, subtly rounding rough edges in woody bases.
Scent Profile
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Ethyl Maltol forms the sugary backbone of this groundbreaking gourmand, amplifying patchouli’s chocolatey facets and creating the illusion of melted pralines.
Here it boosts the candied iris accord, making the fragrance smell like a powdered sugar-dusted version of itself.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CCC1=C(O)C(=O)C=CO1
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Ethyl Maltol (C7H8O3) is a heterocyclic compound derived from maltol through ethylation. As a pyranone derivative, its planar structure allows excellent volatility despite moderate molecular weight. Industrial synthesis typically starts from kojic acid or through condensation of ethyl acetoacetate with formaldehyde. The molecule’s key feature is an α,β-unsaturated ketone system adjacent to a hydroxyl group, creating strong hydrogen bonding capacity. This structure is chiral but usually used racemically in fragrance applications.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 140.14 g/mol |
|---|---|
| Melting Point | 89-93 °C |
| Boiling Point | 161 °C (10 mmHg) |
| XLogP | -0.1 |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 0.1-0.5% | Up to 1% | Sweetness booster |
| Candles | 0.05-0.2% | Up to 0.5% | Prevents waxy off-notes |
Classic Accords
+ Raspberry = Jam
+ Tonka = Caramel
Tip: Use sparingly – above 1% it can dominate compositions with cloying sweetness.
Alternatives & Comparisons
The parent compound, less sweet but with more baked bread character. Use when needing subtlety.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. IFRA, REACH, EU Cosmetics Regulation standards update periodically. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating. Not legal or regulatory advice.
IFRA Status
Not restricted by IFRA. Listed as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by FEMA.
RIFM Assessment
RIFM-reviewed with no significant safety concerns at typical use levels.
Sustainability
Synthesized from petrochemical precursors, Ethyl Maltol has moderate environmental impact. Production requires careful solvent management. Some manufacturers now offer bio-based routes using fermented sugars as starting materials, reducing carbon footprint by ~40% compared to traditional synthesis.
Explore Ethyl Maltol
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Industry & Science Data
References
- PubChem Compound Summary for CID 22674 PubChem
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Mar 2026.
Ingredient Data Sheet
CAS 4940-11-8Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 140.14 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 0.8🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 289 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.0015 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 124.8 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Involatility Index | 0.0001💻 Calculated |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -2.987💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | CCC1=C(C(=O)C=CO1)O🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Base💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Very slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 3.4 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Primary Descriptors | caramelfruitysweet• leffingwell |
| Functional Groups | phenolaromatic💻 RDKit |
| “stronger or rather, it is 4 times more tenacious and has a similar, but more delicate and uniform odor performance. One of its greatest assets is that of being an enhancer of sweetness, indirectly reducing the need for sugar in the flavored product. This effect is obviously of considerable interest to the beverage manufacturers in our days of "diet-soda" drinking.”📖 Arctander | |
| Ethyl maltol has a very sweet, caramel-like odor of immense tenacity and sweet, fruity taste with initial bitter-tart flavor; rapid loss of flavor per se. It is four to six times more potent than maltol.📖 Fenaroli | |
Flavor Notes (Arctander)
| “Sweet, fruity-jamlike taste, reminiscent of Pineapple, Strawberry, Vanilla and heavy fruit-preserve or syrup, depending upon the concentration. Although its flavor is somewhat similar to that of Palatone (the lower - Methyl - homologue), the subject material is more breadlike, less caramellic, softe”📖 Arctander |
Regulatory Status
| GRAS Status | Generally Recognized as Safe⚖️ FEMA GRAS |
| IOFI Classification | Artificial📖 Fenaroli |
Physical data: PubChem (NIH/NLM), U.S. EPA CompTox Dashboard, EPA OPERA models, RDKit. Odor & flavor: Arctander (Perfume & Flavor Chemicals), Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients, Leffingwell. Thresholds: van Gemert (Compilations of Odour Threshold Values). Regulatory: IFRA Standards 51st, FEMA GRAS. Trade names: Surburg (Common Fragrance & Flavor Materials). All data compiled and cross-referenced for perfumertools.com.
Physicochemical Properties
DTXSID: DTXSID5041516
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 140.138 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 1.39 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 253.15 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | 132.58 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 124.85 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.541 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 111.126 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 0.914 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 0.567 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 0.546 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 4.61 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0.087 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.002 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Surface Tension | 41.882 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 50.44 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 1 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 3 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 1 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 1 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 34.911 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 13.84 Å^3📊 OPERA |
Data Sources:
🔬 EPA Experimental data from U.S. EPA CompTox Chemicals Dashboard & CTX APIs. 📊 OPERA Predicted using EPA's OPERA QSAR models. 💻 Computed Calculated from SMILES using RDKit.
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