Ethyl p-anisate (CAS 94-30-4) — Sweet Heart Note Fragrance Ingredient
Ethyl p-anisate
CAS 94-30-4
What Is Ethyl p-anisate?
Ethyl p-anisate is a sweet, powdery synthetic aroma compound often found in perfumes and flavored products. It mimics the scent of anise with a softer, more floral character. This ingredient matters because it provides a versatile bridge between gourmand and floral fragrance families, adding warmth without heaviness.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFEWhat Does Ethyl p-anisate Smell Like?
Ethyl p-anisate unfolds like a warm pastry shop at dawn – initial sweet anisic top notes reminiscent of licorice candies quickly mellow into a heart of powdery heliotrope and vanilla. The dry-down reveals a delicate floralcy, like dried petals preserved in sugar, with a whisper of coumarin-like hay in the final hours. Its tenacity is moderate (4-6 hours), behaving like a heart note that leans slightly baseward.
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Provides the soft anisic-powdery bridge between the citrus top and violet-orris heart, enhancing the twilight mood.
Used sparingly to round out the vanilla-benzoin base with a gourmand floral nuance.
Amplifies the Turkish delight accord with its candied floral-anisic character.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CCOC(=O)C1=CC=C(OC)C=C1
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Ethyl p-anisate is an ester formed from p-anisic acid and ethanol. As a synthetic material, it’s typically produced via acid-catalyzed esterification. The para-methoxy group on the benzene ring enhances its stability and modifies the electron density, creating its distinctive sweet-powdery odor profile compared to simpler benzoate esters.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Appearance | Colorless to pale yellow liquid |
|---|---|
| Boiling Point | 265-267 °C (estimated) |
| Density | 1.10-1.12 g/cm³ (estimated) |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 0.5-2% | Up to 5% | Accord modifier |
| Soaps | 0.1-0.5% | Up to 1% | Stable in alkaline media |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use to soften harsh woody-ambers or add gourmand depth to white florals.
Alternatives & Comparisons
More floral and less sweet, useful when a cleaner anisic note is needed.
For brighter, more diffusive anisic character without the powdery aspects.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.
IFRA Status
No IFRA restrictions currently apply (as of 51st Amendment).
RIFM Assessment
Considered safe as used in current fragrance practices according to RIFM standards.
Sustainability
As a synthetic material, ethyl p-anisate has consistent quality and doesn’t require agricultural land. Production typically uses petrochemical feedstocks, though some manufacturers may employ green chemistry approaches to reduce environmental impact during synthesis.
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References
- Arctander, S. (1969). Perfume and Flavor Chemicals. Allured Publishing.
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.
Report a data errorIngredient Data Sheet
CAS 94-30-4Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 180.2 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 2.8🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 263 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Flash Point | 106.1 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -1.811💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | CCOC(=O)C1=CC=C(C=C1)OC🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Heart💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Primary Descriptors | floralsweet• leffingwell |
| Functional Groups | esteretheraromatic💻 RDKit |
| “Sweet-floral, anisic-Fennel-like, mild odor with resemblance to Chervil, Hawthorn flowers, Anise and Fennel.”📖 Arctander | |
| Ethyl p-anisate has a sweet, fruity, anise-like taste and similar odor.📖 Fenaroli | |
Flavor Notes (Arctander)
| “The ester finds use in flavor compositions for many types of berry, Liqueur, fruit complexes, Grape, Licorice and Anise flavorings, Rum, Vanilla, Almond, etc. A separate use is that in toothpaste and mouthwash flavors.”📖 Arctander |
Regulatory Status
| FEMA Number | FEMA 2420⚖️ FEMA GRAS |
| GRAS Status | Generally Recognized as Safe⚖️ FEMA GRAS |
| IOFI Classification | Nature Identical📖 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: DTXSID4059099
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 180.203 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 1.1 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 268 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | 7.556 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 106.15 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.5 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 167.835 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 2.462 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 2.462 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 2.462 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 5.83 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0.007 mol/L📊 OPERA |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.007 mmHg📊 OPERA |
| Viscosity | 3.298 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 34.848 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 141.438 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 35.53 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 0 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 3 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 3 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 1 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 49.337 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 19.559 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.
