Phenethyl cinnamate (CAS 103-53-7) — Sweet Middle to Base Note Fragrance Ingredient
Phenethyl cinnamate
CAS 103-53-7
What Is Phenethyl cinnamate?
Phenethyl cinnamate is a synthetic fragrance ingredient used to add warm, balsamic, and honey-like notes to perfumes. It’s found in oriental and floral fragrances. This ester provides long-lasting sweetness and is valued for its ability to enhance floral bouquets and add depth to amber accords.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFEWhat Does Phenethyl cinnamate Smell Like?
Phenethyl cinnamate opens with a rich, honeyed sweetness reminiscent of dried apricots and vanilla pods. The heart reveals a balsamic warmth with hints of cinnamon and dried rose petals. In the dry-down, it settles into a velvety amber glow, leaving traces of benzoin-like resinousness and a subtle powdery nuance.
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: O=C(OCCC1=CC=CC=C1)C=CC1=CC=CC=C1
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Phenethyl cinnamate is an ester formed from cinnamic acid and phenethyl alcohol. It’s typically synthesized via Fischer esterification. The molecule features a conjugated system from the cinnamate moiety, contributing to its UV absorption properties. Commercial production often uses plant-derived precursors for sustainable sourcing.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Boiling Point | 198 °C |
|---|---|
| Density | 1.097 g/cm³ |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 1-5% | Up to 10% | Adds warmth to oriental compositions |
| Soaps | 0.5-2% | Up to 3% | Stable in alkaline formulations |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use with ionones to create sophisticated powdery-amber effects.
Alternatives & Comparisons
Similar profile but more balsamic, better for heavy oriental bases.
Lighter alternative with less resinous character.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.
IFRA Status
Not restricted under current IFRA standards.
RIFM Assessment
RIFM safety assessment confirms safe use at current levels in fragrances.
Sustainability
Synthetic production allows for consistent quality without plant harvesting pressures. Recent advances use bio-based phenethyl alcohol from lignin derivatives.
Explore Phenethyl cinnamate
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References
- PubChem Compound Summary for Phenethyl cinnamate CID 5280967
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.
Report a data errorIngredient Data Sheet
CAS 103-53-7Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 252.31 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 4.6🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 300 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 254.2 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -0.973💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | C1=CC=C(C=C1)CCOC(=O)C=CC2=CC=CC=C2🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Base💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Very slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 12.9 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Primary Descriptors | balsamicsweet• leffingwell |
| Functional Groups | esteretheralkenearomatic💻 RDKit |
| “Very faint, but sweet and pleasant, balsamic odor of excellent tenacity. There is a mild, floral-fruitiness note in the sweetness of a very pure material.”📖 Arctander | |
| Phenethyl cinnamate has a sweet, balsamic odor, reminiscent of rose. At low levels it has a sweet, plum-like taste.📖 Fenaroli | |
Flavor Notes (Arctander)
| “In very low concentrations, this fruity note is more clearly detected as a fruity-sweet, Plum-like taste – at about 5 ppm or lower.”📖 Arctander |
Regulatory Status
| FEMA Number | FEMA 2863⚖️ FEMA GRAS |
| GRAS Status | Generally Recognized as Safe⚖️ FEMA GRAS |
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: DTXSID1047605
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 252.313 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 1.165 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 314.4 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | 57.25 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 254.3 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.598 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 227.606 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 3.895 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 3.895 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 3.895 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 8.94 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Surface Tension | 42.83 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 26.3 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 0 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 2 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 5 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 2 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 77.67 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 30.791 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.
