ScenTree, la nouvelle encyclopédie des ingrédients de parfum.

Exploring the branches of scent

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Crédits photo: ScenTree SAS

CAS number :

100-51-6

EINECS number :

202-859-9

FEMA number :

2137

JECFA number :

25

FLAVIS number :

02.010

Volatility :

Heart/Base

Appearance :

Colorless liquid

Price Range :

€

Stability :

Aromatic compounds are chromophorous. This means that they may colour through time or in an alkaline medium.

Density :

1.04

Molecular formula :

C₇H₈O

Molecular Weight :

108.14 g/mol

Flash Point :

199°F (93°C)

Log P :

1.1

Fusion Point :

5°F (-15°C)

Boiling Point :

401°F (205°C)

Detection Threshold :

1.2 to 1000 ppb (0.0001%) according to people smelling it

Crédits photo: ScenTree SAS

Year of discovery :

Data not available.

Synthesis route :

Two synthetic routes can be used to obtain Benzyl Alcohol. The first one is a hydrolysis of benzyl chloride, by heating this molecule with alkaline and earthy-alkaline hydroxydes and carbonates. Up to 10% Dibenzyl Ether is also resulting from this reaction. A second route is an oxydation of toluene into benzyl hydroperoxyde. Subsequent hydrolysis synthesizes Benzyl Alcohol and Benzaldehyde. A purification can then isolate Benzyl Alcohol.

Synthesis precursor :

Benzyl Alcohol can be used to synthesize Benzaldehyde, by adding nitric acid to oxydize it. This oxydation can also be carried out with copper-magnesium oxide pumice. Numerous esterifications can be carried out using Benzyl Alcohol, to obtain compounds as Benzyl Acetate, Benzyl Salicylate... Eventually, heating this molecule with strong acids or bases may form Dibenzyl Oxide.

Isomerism :

Benzyl Alcohol is an isomer of para-Cresol. These two molecules, although close structurally speaking, do not have the same smell at all, much more animalic on para-Cresol part.

Natural availability :

Benzyl Alcohol is found in low quantity in many natural ingredients. It is found for example in Clove Leaf EO, Damask Rose Absolute and Narcissus Absolute.

Allergens :

Benzyl Alcohol may provoke an allergic reaction on skin contact (redness, heat, scraching, prickling) for some people.

For more information on allergens used in perfumery, please consult our article about allergens

IFRA :

This ingredient is not restricted

Annexe I :

Maximum usage according to the product category :
Ingredients containing
Ingredient Name	CAS N°	Estimated Concentration
Citral	5392-40-5	1
Geraniol	106-24-1	3
Citral	5392-40-5	0,1
Farnesol	4602-84-0	1,5
Geraniol	106-24-1	3
Benzyl alcohol	100-51-6	0,5
Benzyl benzoate	120-51-4	5,5
Benzyl salicylate	118-58-1	3,6
Eugenol	97-53-0	0,5
Farnesol	4602-84-0	0,3
Geraniol	106-24-1	0,1
Isoeugenol	97-54-1	0,5
Methyl eugenol	93-15-2	1,8

Restriction type :

RESTRICTION QRA

Cause of restriction :

PHOTOTOXICITY

Amendment :

42

Comments :

The limit only applies to applications on skin exposed to sunshine, excluding rinse-off products (please refer to Table 4 of the QRA booklet for more detailed information).

Quantitative usage limits :

Cat.1	Cat.2	Cat.3	Cat.4	Cat.5	Cat.6	Cat.7	Cat.8	Cat.9	Cat.10	Cat.11
0,2 %	0,2 %	0,9 %	2,7 %	1,4 %	4,3 %	0,4 %	2 %	5 %	2,5 %	Not restricted

Skin contact products		Non skin contact products
Leave on products	Rinse off products	Non skin contact products
0,2 %	X	X

Annexe I :

Some regulated synthetic ingredients are found in nature and in certain proportions in natural ingredients. This presence in nature has to be taken into account when calculating limits of use recommended by the IFRA. In case you do not know these concentrations, you can use the ones estimated by the IFRA. Here They are :

List of natural ingredients containing the material presented here
Ingredient Name	Botanical Name	CAS N°	Estimated Concentration
Genet absolute	Spartium junceum L.	129316-65-0	0,34
Mandarin oil	Citrus nobilis Lour.	8008-31-9	0,4
Mandarin oil	Citrus nobilis Lour.	8008-31-9	0,4
Mandarin oil, terpeneless	Citrus reticulata blanco	68917-20-4	10
Petitgrain mandarin oil	Citrus nobilis Lour.	8014-17-3	48
Balsam oil, Peru	Myroxylon balsamum (L.) Harms var. pereirae (Royle) Harms	8007-00-9	0,9
Carnation absolute	Dianthus caryophyllus L.	8021-43-0	0,2
Cassie absolute	Vachellia farnesiana (L.) Willd.	8023-82-3	2,7
Cassie extract	Vachellia farnesiana (L.) Willd.	8023-82-3	1
Gardenia tahitensis oil	Gardenia tahitensis DC.	683748-01-8	0,1
Hyacinth absolute	Hyacinthus orientalis L.	8023-94-7	40
Jasmine concrete	Jasminum grandiflorum L.	8022-96-6	0,1
Jasmine officinale absolute	Jasminum officinale L.	8024-43-9	0,1
Jasmine sambac oil	Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton	1034798-23-6	1,5
Mimosa absolute	Acacia decurrens (Wendl.f.) Willd.	8031-03-6	0,05
Narcissus absolute	Narcissus spp.	8023-75-4	2,8
Tolu, balsam, extract	Myroxylon balsamum (L.) Harms.	8024-03-1	0,2
Tolu, balsam, gum	Myroxylon balsamum (L.) Harms.	8024-03-1	0,04
Tuberose absolute	Poliantes tuberosa L.	8024-05-3	0,5
Tuberose concrete	Poliantes tuberosa L.	8024-05-3	0,5
Violet leaf absolute	Viola odorata L.	8024-08-6	0,1
Ylang ylang oil I	Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook.f. & Thomson	8006-81-3	0,5
Ylang ylang oil II	Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook.f. & Thomson	8006-81-3	0,5
Ylang ylang oil III	Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook.f. & Thomson	8006-81-3	0,5
Ylang, Ylang oil extra	Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook.f. & Thomson	8006-81-3	0,5
Ylang, Ylang oil, terpene-free	Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook.f. & Thomson	68952-44-3	0,5

Annexe I :

Maximum usage according to the product category :
Ingredients containing
Ingredient Name	CAS N°	Estimated Concentration
Citronellal	106-23-0	0,05
Geraniol	106-24-1	2,4
Citral	5392-40-5	0,65
Geraniol	106-24-1	2,8
Benzyl cyanide	140-29-4	0,2
Farnesal	19317-11-4	0,07
Methyl N-formylanthranilate	41270-80-8	0,03
Farnesol	4602-84-0	1,8
Citral	5392-40-5	0,2
Benzyl alcohol	100-51-6	0,5
Geraniol	106-24-1	0,1
Benzyl salicylate	118-58-1	3,6
Benzyl benzoate	120-51-4	5,5
Benzyl cyanide	140-29-4	0,8
Farnesol	4602-84-0	0,3
Methyl eugenol	93-15-2	1,8
Eugenol	97-53-0	0,5
Isoeugenol	97-54-1	1,5

Restriction type :

RESTRICTION

Cause of restriction :

DERMAL SENSITIZATION AND SYSTEMIC TOXICITY

Amendment :

49

Comments :

The Standard is set due to the phototoxic effects of Methyl β-naphthyl ketone. For more detailed information on the application of this Standard, please refer to the note on phototoxic ingredients in chapter 1 of the Guidance for the use of IFRA Standards.

Quantitative limit on the use :

Cat.1	Cat.2	Cat.3	Cat.4	Cat.5A	Cat.5B	Cat.5C	Cat.5D	Cat.6
0,45 %	0,14 %	0,34 %	2,5 %	0,64 %	0,17 %	0,34 %	0,057 %	1,5 %
Cat.7A	Cat.7B	Cat.8	Cat.9	Cat.10A	Cat.10B	Cat.11A	Cat.11B	Cat.12
0,68 %	0,68 %	0,057 %	2,2 %	2,2 %	8,5 %	0,057 %	0,057 %	Not restricted

Annexe I :

Some regulated synthetic ingredients are found in nature and in certain proportions in natural ingredients. This presence in nature has to be taken into account when calculating limits of use recommended by the IFRA. In case you do not know these concentrations, you can use the ones estimated by the IFRA. Here They are :

List of natural ingredients containing the material presented here
Ingredient Name	Botanical Name	CAS N°	Estimated Concentration
Clementine oil	Citrus clementina Hort. Ex Tan	93686-22-7	0,03
Genet absolute	Spartium junceum L.	90131-21-8	0,34
Mandarin oil	Citrus reticulata Blanco	8008-31-9	0,4
Mandarin oil	Citrus reticulata Blanco	8008-31-9	0,4
Mandarin oil, terpeneless	Citrus reticulata Blanco	68917-20-4	10
Petitgrain mandarin oil	Citrus reticulata Blanco	8014-17-3	48,5
Petitgrain mandarin oil terpeneless	Citrus reticulata Blanco	84929-38-4	80
Balsam oil, Peru	Myroxylon balsamum (L.) Harms var. pereirae (Royle) Harms	8007-00-9	0,9
Carnation absolute	Dianthus caryophyllus L.	8021-43-0	0,2
Cassie absolute	Vachellia farnesiana (L.) Willd.	8023-82-3	2,7
Cassie extract	Vachellia farnesiana (L.) Willd.	8023-82-3	1
Cinnamon leaf oil	Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume	8015-91-6	0,1
Flouve oil	Anthoxanthum odorantum L.	68916-09-6	2,1
Gardenia tahitensis oil	Gardenia tahitensis DC.	683748-01-8	0,1
Hyacinth absolute	Hyacinthus orientalis L.	8023-94-7	40
Jasmine concrete	Jasminum grandiflorum L.	8022-96-6	0,1
Jasmine officinale absolute	Jasminum officinale L.	8024-43-9	3
Jasmine sambac absolute	Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton	103798-23-6	8
Mimosa absolute	Acacia decurrens (Wendl.f.) Willd.	8031-03-6	0,05
Narcissus poeticus absolute	Narcissus poeticus L.	68917-12-4	2,8
Rose absolute	Rosa x damascena Mill.	90106-38-0	0,1
Rose oil	Rosa x damascena Mill.	8007-01-0	0,02
Styrax absolute	Liquidambar styraciflua L.	8046-19-3	1
Tolu, balsam, extract	Myroxylon balsamum (L.) Harms.	8024-03-1	0,2
Tolu, balsam, gum	Myroxylon balsamum (L.) Harms.	8024-03-1	0,04
Tuberose absolute	Poliantes tuberosa L.	8024-05-3	0,5
Tuberose concrete	Poliantes tuberosa L.	8024-05-3	0,5
Violet leaf absolute	Viola odorata L.	8024-08-6	0,1
Ylang ylang oil I	Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. &Thomson oil (forma genuine Steenis)	8006-81-3	0,1
Ylang ylang oil II	Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. &Thomson oil (forma genuine Steenis)	8006-81-3	0,2
Ylang ylang oil III	Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. &Thomson oil (forma genuine Steenis)	8006-81-3	0,05
Ylang, Ylang oil extra	Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. &Thomson oil (forma genuine Steenis)	8006-81-3	0,5
Ylang, Ylang oil, terpene-free	Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. &Thomson oil (forma genuine Steenis)	68952-44-3	0,5

To learn more about IFRA's standards : https://ifrafragrance.org/safe-use/library
To find out the specificities of each category and the ingredients prohibited by IFRA, click article about l'IFRA
ScenTree is solely responsible for the information provided here.

Uses in perfumery :

Benzyl Alcohol is used in majority as a solvent for some ingredients, even if it is rarely the case. It can also be used is some white flowers accords, to bring volatility.

Other names :

alpha-hydroxytoluène, benzencarbinol, benzene carbinol, benzene methanol, benzoyl alcohol, benzylicum, (hydroxymethyl)benzene, phenyl methanol, phenyl carbinol, phenyl carbinolum, alpha-toluenol, ulfesia

Other comments :

In perfumery, using a benzylic molecule brings a fruity white flower note as jasmine. A long homologous molecule of Benzyl Alcohol is Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol, bringing a rosy note. By lengthening even more the chain, a dihydrocinnamic body brings more heavy floral balsamic note. Benzyl Alcohol is part of the 26 allergens used in perfumery.