Ethyl butyrate (CAS 105-54-4) — Fruity Top Note Fragrance Ingredient
Ethyl butyrate
CAS 105-54-4
What Is Ethyl butyrate?
Ethyl butyrate is a fruity-smelling compound commonly found in artificial pineapple and strawberry flavorings. You’ll encounter it in candies, sodas, and some tropical-scented perfumes. This ester creates that juicy, ripe fruit effect that makes fragrances smell delicious. It’s a key player in many fruity and gourmand scents, adding an irresistible sweetness that feels both natural and mouthwatering.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFEWhat Does Ethyl butyrate Smell Like?
Ethyl butyrate bursts open with an intensely sweet, almost boozy pineapple explosion – imagine biting into an overripe golden pineapple dripping with juice. The top note is all tropical punch and candy sweetness, which gradually mellows into a softer, creamier fruitiness reminiscent of strawberry yogurt. As it dries down, it leaves a subtle waxy-fruity trail like the aftertaste of gummy bears. The evolution is linear but pleasant, maintaining its juicy character for hours before fading to a faint fruity whisper.
Scent Profile
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Ethyl butyrate provides the hyper-realistic pineapple top note that makes this fragrance smell like freshly cut tropical fruit. The ester’s sweetness balances the woody-amber drydown.
Used sparingly to enhance the pineapple accord, ethyl butyrate adds juicy brightness that cuts through the smoky birch base.
This summer limited edition leans heavily on ethyl butyrate for its candy-like fruit cocktail effect, creating an irresistible sugary-fruity blast.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CCCC(=O)OCC
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Ethyl butyrate is an ester formed from ethanol and butyric acid. Industrially produced via Fischer esterification, this simple molecule packs an outsized olfactory punch. The ester linkage creates volatility perfect for top notes, while the butyrate moiety delivers characteristic fruity aromas. Though found naturally in small quantities in fruits like pineapple, commercial production is entirely synthetic for consistency and cost-effectiveness.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Boiling Point | 120-121 °C |
|---|---|
| Density | 0.879 g/cm³ |
| Refractive Index | 1.392 |
| Flash Point | 20 °C |
| Solubility | Slightly soluble in water |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 0.5-2% | Up to 5% | Used for fruity top notes |
| Functional Fragrance | 0.1-0.5% | Up to 1% | Adds fruity freshness to cleaners |
| Flavorings | 10-100 ppm | Up to 0.1% | Artificial fruit flavors |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use sparingly – ethyl butyrate can dominate a blend at high concentrations.
Alternatives & Comparisons
Less aggressive fruity note with apple-like characteristics, useful when ethyl butyrate’s pineapple effect is too strong.
For a cleaner, less sweet fruity effect with pear-like qualities instead of tropical punch.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. IFRA, REACH, EU Cosmetics Regulation standards update periodically. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating. Not legal or regulatory advice.
IFRA Status
No IFRA restrictions – unlimited use permitted.
GHS Classification
RIFM Assessment
Evaluated as safe for current use levels in fragrances (RIFM, 2003).
Sustainability
As a synthetic material, ethyl butyrate has minimal environmental impact in production. The petrochemical feedstocks are widely available as byproducts of other processes. Being produced synthetically avoids any agricultural land use or seasonal variability issues associated with natural extracts.
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References
- Burdock, G.A. (2010). Fenaroli’s Handbook of Flavor Ingredients. CRC Press. Book Reference
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Mar 2026.
Report a data errorIngredient Data Sheet
CAS 105-54-4Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 116.16 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 1.3🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 121.1 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 12.8 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 23.9 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Involatility Index | 1.28💻 Calculated |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -2.486💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | CCCC(=O)OCC🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Top💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Fast💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 0.5 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Primary Descriptors | bananabutteryetherealfruitypineapple• leffingwell |
| Functional Groups | esterether💻 RDKit |
| “Powerful, ethereal-fruity odor suggestive of Banana and Pineapple, and very diffusive.”📖 Arctander | |
| Ethyl butyrate has a fruity odor with pineapple undertone and sweet, analogous taste.📖 Fenaroli | |
Flavor Notes (Arctander)
| “Sweet, fruity taste, but not very powerful in aqueous media. This ester has occasionally been used in minute traces in perfume compositions for its warm-fruity effect in Rose and other floral bases. It is also used as a masking agent for industrial fragrances. Its main use, however, is in flavor com”📖 Arctander |
Sensory Thresholds
| Odor Detection Threshold | 0.0038 ppm (n=20)📖 van Gemert |
Regulatory Status
| FEMA Number | FEMA 2427⚖️ 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: DTXSID6040111
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 116.16 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 0.874 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 120.746 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | -97.452 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 23.677 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.398 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 131.058 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 1.946 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 1.777 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 1.777 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 3.56 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| Water Solubility | 0.047 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole🔬 EPA CTX |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 14.024 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Viscosity | 0.621 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 25.173 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 138.911 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 | 3 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 31.621 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 12.536 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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