Methyl abietate, technical (CAS 127-25-3) — Woody Middle to base Note Fragrance Ingredient
Methyl abietate, technical
CAS 127-25-3
What Is Methyl abietate, technical?
Methyl abietate is a synthetic fragrance ingredient derived from pine resin. It’s commonly found in woody, amber, and pine-scented products like candles, soaps, and masculine fragrances. This compound contributes a resinous, slightly balsamic character that evokes forest aromas.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFEWhat Does Methyl abietate, technical Smell Like?
Methyl abietate offers a rich, resinous aroma reminiscent of aged pine sap with subtle woody undertones. The scent evolves from an initial sharp pine character to a smoother, slightly sweet balsamic dry-down. It carries faint hints of amber-like warmth and a dry, almost papery quality that adds complexity to woody accords.
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Used to enhance the woody-amber backbone, contributing to the signature pencil shavings accord that makes this fragrance distinctive.
Provides subtle resinous depth to the mineral-flint accord, helping bridge citrus top notes to woody base elements.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: COC(=O)[C@]1(C)CCC[C@]2(C)[C@H]3CCC(=CC3=CC[C@@H]12)C(C)C
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Methyl abietate is an ester formed from abietic acid, a diterpene found in pine resin. The technical grade typically contains a mixture of related resin acids. Industrial synthesis involves esterification of rosin with methanol. The compound lacks chirality but may contain geometric isomers depending on the abietic acid starting material.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Appearance | Viscous liquid to semi-solid |
|---|---|
| Color | Pale yellow to amber |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 0.5-2% | Up to 5% | Woody-amber modifier |
| Functional Fragrance | 1-3% | Up to 8% | Pine/resin accord builder |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use to add natural resinous character to synthetic woody materials.
Alternatives & Comparisons
Offers similar resinous character with slightly brighter top notes and better stability in formulations.
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
Considered safe at current use levels based on structural analogs.
Sustainability
Synthetic production reduces pressure on natural pine resources. Byproduct utilization from paper industry rosin makes this a relatively sustainable material. Biodegradability is moderate due to ester structure.
Explore Methyl abietate, technical
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References
- Fenaroli’s Handbook of Flavor Ingredients (6th Ed.)
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.
Report a data errorIngredient Data Sheet
CAS 127-25-3Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 316.5 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 5.1🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 363 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 192.8 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -1.01💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | CC(C)C1=CC2=CCC3C(C2CC1)(CCCC3(C)C(=O)OC)C🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Base💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Primary Descriptors | balsamicwoody• leffingwell |
| Functional Groups | esteretheralkene💻 RDKit |
| “other than perfumery, but it has found some use in perfume compositions as a fixative/blender, at times plainly as a diluent to reduce the overall cost of the fragrance product. Its comparatively large molecule is most conceivably responsible for the effect of reducing the odor level of fragrances in which Methyl abietate is incorporated.”📖 Arctander | |
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: DTXSID9048190
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 316.485 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 1.042 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 363.125 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | 64.118 °C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 181 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.522 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 309.494 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 6.167 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 6.167 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 6.167 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 9.37 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0 mol/L📊 OPERA |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0 mmHg📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 35.085 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 128.156 mW/(m*K)📊 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 | 2 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 94.324 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 37.393 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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