Diethyl tartrate (CAS 87-91-2) — Sweet Base Note Fragrance Ingredient

ByThe Good Scents
Sweet · Floral

Diethyl tartrate

CAS 87-91-2

Origin
synthetic
Note
Base
IFRA
Generally safe
Data as of: Apr 2026

What Is Diethyl tartrate?

Diethyl tartrate is a synthetic ester commonly used as a solvent and fixative in perfumery. It’s found in various cosmetic and personal care products. This ingredient helps stabilize fragrance compositions and extend their longevity on skin.

Safety Profile

GENERALLY SAFE
Generally safeUse with awarenessProfessional use
✓ Approved for cosmetic use
✓ Low toxicity profile
CAS
87-91-2
Formula
Mixture
MW
Variable
Odor Family
Sweet · Floral
Layer 1 · Enthusiast

What Does Diethyl tartrate Smell Like?

Diethyl tartrate presents a subtle, wine-like character with fruity undertones reminiscent of green grapes. Its odor is relatively mild compared to other esters, serving more as a supporting player than a dominant note. The aroma remains consistent through evaporation, lacking significant top-to-base evolution but contributing a clean, slightly tart quality that blends well with fruity and floral compositions.

Scent Profile

In Famous Fragrances

Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.

Eau de Cartier(Cartier, 2001)

Used as a solvent and mild fruity modifier in this fresh citrus composition, helping to balance the sharpness of lemon with subtle grape-like nuances.

Layer 2

2D Molecular Structure

Diethyl L-tartrate

SMILES: CCOC(=O)[C@H](O)[C@@H](O)C(=O)OCC

Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide

The Chemistry

Diethyl tartrate is an ester formed from tartaric acid and ethanol. As a diester, it contains two ester functional groups, giving it different solubility properties than monoesters. The compound exists as a racemic mixture unless specifically purified as one enantiomer. Industrial production typically involves esterification of tartaric acid with ethanol under acidic conditions.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Boiling Point280 °C
Density1.204 g/cm³

Perfumer Guide

Note Position
Base
Volatility
Low (hours)
Blending
Good
ApplicationTypical %RangeNotes
Fine Fragrance1-3%Up to 5%Used as solvent/fixative
Cosmetics0.5-2%Up to 3%Stabilizer in formulations

Classic Accords

+ Citrus oils = Enhanced freshness + Rose absolutes = Softened floralcy

Tip: Use to smooth harsh edges in citrus-heavy compositions.

Alternatives & Comparisons

1
Dimethyl tartrate CAS 608-68-4

Similar properties but with slightly higher volatility and sharper odor profile.

Layer 3

Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability

⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer

General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.

IFRA Status

Not restricted by IFRA standards.

RIFM Assessment

Considered safe for current use levels based on RIFM assessments.

Sustainability

Synthetically produced from renewable sources (tartaric acid from wine industry byproducts). Production has relatively low environmental impact compared to petroleum-derived solvents. Biodegradability studies show moderate breakdown rates.

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References

  1. PubChem Compound Summary for Diethyl tartrate PubChem CID

Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.

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Ingredient Data Sheet

CAS 87-91-2

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight206.19 g/mol🔬 PubChem
LogP (Octanol-Water)-0.3🔬 PubChem
Boiling Point280 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
Vapor Pressure0 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA
Flash Point103.8 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
log Kp (skin permeability)-4.171💻 Calculated
SMILESCCOC(=O)C(C(C(=O)OCC)O)O🔬 PubChem

Volatility & Performance

Fragrance NoteBase💻 Calculated
Volatility ClassVery slow💻 Calculated
Persistence Score6.5 / 5💻 Calculated

Odor & Flavor

Functional Groupsesteralcoholether💻 RDKit
“Very faint, winy odor.”📖 Arctander
Diethyl tartarate has a mild, fruity, wine aroma.📖 Fenaroli

Flavor Notes (Arctander)

“Finds some use in flavor compositions as a solvent, and since it is often used at fairly high concentration, it does impart some flavor to such compositions. It can be considered as a mild blender for fruity and winy flavor types.”📖 Arctander

Regulatory Status

FEMA NumberFEMA 2378⚖️ FEMA GRAS
GRAS StatusGenerally Recognized as Safe⚖️ FEMA GRAS
IOFI ClassificationNature Identical📖 Fenaroli
Data Sources & Attribution
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: DTXSID5052597

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight 206.194 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox
Density 1.207 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX
Boiling Point 280.25 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Melting Point 17 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Flash Point 115.587 °C📊 OPERA
Refractive Index 1.471 Dimensionless📊 OPERA
Molar Volume 163.319 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA

Partition & Solubility

LogP (Octanol-Water) -0.29 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX
LogD (pH 5.5) -0.49 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogD (pH 7.4) -1.355 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogKoa (Octanol-Air) 7.83 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
Water Solubility 0.337 mol/L📊 OPERA
Henry's Law Constant 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA

Transport Properties

Vapor Pressure 0 mmHg📊 OPERA
Viscosity 24.472 cP📊 OPERA
Surface Tension 42.025 dyn/cm📊 OPERA
Thermal Conductivity 177.412 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA

Molecular Descriptors

Topological Polar Surface Area 93.06 Ų💻 Computed
H-Bond Donors 2 count💻 Computed
H-Bond Acceptors 6 count💻 Computed
Rotatable Bonds 5 count💻 Computed
Aromatic Rings 0 count💻 Computed
Molar Refractivity 45.649 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA
Polarizability 18.097 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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