Ethyl phenethyl ether (CAS 1817-90-9) — Floral Middle Note Fragrance Ingredient
Ethyl phenethyl ether
CAS 1817-90-9
What Is Ethyl phenethyl ether?
Ethyl phenethyl ether is a synthetic fragrance compound used to add rosy, floral nuances to perfumes. It’s found in various personal care products and fine fragrances. This ingredient matters because it provides a cost-effective alternative to natural floral extracts, offering stability and consistent quality in formulations.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFEWhat Does Ethyl phenethyl ether Smell Like?
Ethyl phenethyl ether opens with a crisp, slightly green floral character reminiscent of rose petals with a hint of apple skin. The heart develops into a more pronounced rosy sweetness, like a dewy garden at dawn. The dry-down reveals a soft, powdery undertone that lingers close to the skin, creating an intimate floral aura. Its evolution is linear but elegant, making it a versatile building block for floral accords.
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Used as a floral modifier to enhance the rose-jasmine heart while adding subtle green freshness.
Provides a crisp floral lift to the chypre structure, complementing the galbanum and patchouli.
Contributes to the powdery floral bouquet, blending with carnation and sandalwood.
Used sparingly to brighten the jasmine-rose core without overpowering the natural extracts.
Adds a clean, soapy floral facet to this crisp aldehydic fragrance.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CCOCCC1=CC=CC=C1
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Ethyl phenethyl ether belongs to the aromatic ether class, synthesized through Williamson ether synthesis from phenethyl alcohol. The molecule features an ethoxy group attached to a phenyl ring, creating its characteristic floral odor. While not found in nature, its structure mimics certain floral components. The ether linkage provides stability against oxidation compared to corresponding alcohols, making it valuable in perfumery.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Appearance | Colorless liquid |
|---|---|
| Boiling Point | 198-200 °C |
| Density | 0.95 g/cm³ |
| Refractive Index | 1.495-1.505 |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 1-3% | Up to 5% | Floral modifier |
| Soap | 0.5-1% | Up to 2% | Adds floral freshness |
| Detergents | 0.1-0.5% | Up to 1% | Cost-effective floral note |
| Candles | 0.5-2% | Up to 3% | Stable floral component |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use with citrus top notes to prevent the floral character from becoming too heavy.
Alternatives & Comparisons
More natural rosy character but less stable and more volatile.
More diffusive and tenacious rose note with woody undertones.
Softer, fruitier floral with better stability in alkaline media.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.
IFRA Status
Not restricted under current IFRA standards (Amendment 49).
RIFM Assessment
RIFM has evaluated this material and found it safe for current usage levels in fragrance applications.
Sustainability
As a synthetic material, ethyl phenethyl ether has minimal environmental impact in production compared to natural extracts. Its efficient synthesis from petrochemical precursors makes it a sustainable choice when natural rose materials would require extensive land use. The material’s stability reduces waste in formulations.
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References
- Arctander, S. (1969). Perfume and Flavor Chemicals. Allured Publishing.
- Bauer, K. et al. (2001). Common Fragrance and Flavor Materials. Wiley-VCH.
- IFRA Standards Library (2021). Amendment 49. IFRA
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.
Report a data errorIngredient Data Sheet
CAS 1817-90-9Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 150.22 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 2.4🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 205 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.5754 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 68.1 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Involatility Index | 0.0506💻 Calculated |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -1.912💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | CCOCCC1=CC=CC=C1🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Top💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 0.5 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Primary Descriptors | floralsweet• leffingwell |
| Functional Groups | etheraromatic💻 RDKit |
| “Pleasant, warm-aromatic, but somewhat Phenethole, pungent odor - more attractive in dilution. The lower homoiogue, Anisole, is used in industrial fragrances for masking. Maybe the 0 reason is, that the overall odor of Phenethole o is rarely desired in any perfumery problem, C8HI00 = 122.17 and the notes extractable from this ether are not very unusual or interesting.”📖 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: DTXSID6061993
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 150.221 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 0.934 g/cm^3📊 OPERA |
| Boiling Point | 202.91 °C📊 OPERA |
| Melting Point | -15.565 °C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 69.83 °C📊 OPERA |
| Refractive Index | 1.491 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 161.627 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 2.771 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 2.771 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 2.771 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 5 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0.024 mol/L📊 OPERA |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.482 mmHg📊 OPERA |
| Viscosity | 2.087 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 31.999 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 136.823 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 9.23 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 0 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 1 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 4 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 1 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 46.813 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 18.558 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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