Furfuryl acetate (CAS 623-17-6) — Sweet Middle Note Fragrance Ingredient

ByThe Good Scents
Sweet · Balsamic

Furfuryl acetate

CAS 623-17-6

Origin
synthetic
Note
Middle
IFRA
Use with awareness
Data as of: Apr 2026

What Is Furfuryl acetate?

Furfuryl acetate is a synthetic fragrance ingredient with a warm, bready aroma reminiscent of freshly baked goods. It’s commonly found in food flavorings and some perfumes. This molecule adds a comforting, gourmand character to fragrances, often used to create coffee, caramel, or roasted nut effects.

Safety Profile

USE WITH AWARENESS
Generally safeUse with awarenessProfessional use
✓ Approved for use in fragrances
⚠ Moderate skin sensitivity potential
CAS
623-17-6
Formula
Mixture
MW
Variable
Odor Family
Sweet · Balsamic
Layer 1 · Enthusiast

What Does Furfuryl acetate Smell Like?

Furfuryl acetate unfolds with an initial burst of warm, toasted bread crusts and caramelized sugar. As it evolves, the heart reveals deep coffee bean nuances with a subtle almond-like nuttiness. The dry-down lingers with a soft, vanillic sweetness akin to freshly brewed espresso. Throughout its lifespan, it maintains a comforting, edible quality that blends seamlessly with gourmand compositions.

Scent Profile

In Famous Fragrances

Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.

Black Phantom(By Kilian, 2017)

Used to enhance the dark roasted coffee accord, adding depth to the caramelized sugar and almond notes in this luxurious gourmand fragrance.

Intense Café(Montale, 2014)

Provides the authentic roasted coffee bean character that forms the core of this sweet, vanillic coffee fragrance.

Layer 2

2D Molecular Structure

Furfuryl acetate

SMILES: CC(=O)OCC1=CC=CO1

Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide

The Chemistry

Furfuryl acetate is an ester formed from furfuryl alcohol and acetic acid. As a synthetic compound, it’s typically produced through esterification reactions catalyzed by acids. The furan ring structure contributes to its distinctive roasted aroma profile. While not found in nature, its odor profile mimics compounds formed during Maillard reactions in food browning processes.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Boiling Point175-177 °C
Density1.117 g/cm³
Refractive Index1.462

Perfumer Guide

Note Position
Middle
Volatility
Moderate (2-4 hours)
Blending
Good
ApplicationTypical %RangeNotes
Fine Fragrance0.5-2%Up to 5%Gourmand compositions
Functional Fragrance0.1-0.5%Up to 1%Coffee-flavored products

Classic Accords

Tip: Use sparingly in gourmand compositions as it can dominate softer notes.

Alternatives & Comparisons

1
Furfuryl mercaptan CAS 98-02-2

For more intense roasted coffee character, though much more potent and challenging to work with.

2
Maltol CAS 118-71-8

When a sweeter, less roasted caramel effect is desired.

Layer 3

Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability

⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer

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

IFRA Status

Not currently restricted by IFRA standards.

GHS Classification

H315 Skin irritation H319 Eye irritation

RIFM Assessment

RIFM has evaluated furfuryl acetate as safe for use at current levels in fragrance applications.

Sustainability

As a synthetic material, furfuryl acetate production doesn’t rely on agricultural resources. However, its petrochemical origin raises sustainability considerations. Manufacturers are exploring bio-based routes using furfural derived from agricultural byproducts.

Explore Furfuryl acetate

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References

  1. Burdock, G.A. (2010). Fenaroli’s Handbook of Flavor Ingredients. CRC Press. ISBN 9781420090869

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

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Ingredient Data Sheet

CAS 623-17-6

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight140.14 g/mol🔬 PubChem
LogP (Octanol-Water)0.7🔬 PubChem
Boiling Point175 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
Vapor Pressure1 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA
Flash Point65.6 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
Involatility Index0.091💻 Calculated
log Kp (skin permeability)-3.058💻 Calculated
SMILESCC(=O)OCC1=CC=CO1🔬 PubChem

Volatility & Performance

Fragrance NoteTop💻 Calculated
Volatility ClassSlow💻 Calculated
Persistence Score0.5 / 5💻 Calculated

Odor & Flavor

Primary Descriptorsbananaetherealfloralfruity• leffingwell
Functional Groupsesteretheraromatic💻 RDKit
“Mild, ethereal-floral odor, somewhat reminiscent of Ethyl acetoacetate, Benzyl acetate and the Glycol acetates, with a herbal-spicy undertone.”📖 Arctander
Furfuryl acetate has a fruity, banana odor.📖 Fenaroli

Flavor Notes (Arctander)

“Pleasant, warm-fruity, partly herbaceous and rather nondescript taste. Not reminiscent It is used in flavor compositions for imitation Raspberry and in fruit complexes, spice blends, e. g. in "Ginger Ale" types, etc.”📖 Arctander

Regulatory Status

FEMA NumberFEMA 2490⚖️ 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: DTXSID7025346

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight 140.138 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox
Density 1.114 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX
Boiling Point 176.778 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Melting Point 14.147 °C📊 OPERA
Flash Point 65.235 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Refractive Index 1.464 Dimensionless📊 OPERA
Molar Volume 125.034 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA

Partition & Solubility

LogP (Octanol-Water) 1.526 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogD (pH 5.5) 1.526 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogD (pH 7.4) 1.526 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogKoa (Octanol-Air) 3.94 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
Water Solubility 0.054 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX
Henry's Law Constant 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA

Transport Properties

Vapor Pressure 0.649 mmHg📊 OPERA
Viscosity 2.061 cP📊 OPERA
Surface Tension 34.2 dyn/cm📊 OPERA
Thermal Conductivity 163.128 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA

Molecular Descriptors

Topological Polar Surface Area 39.44 Ų💻 Computed
H-Bond Donors 0 count💻 Computed
H-Bond Acceptors 3 count💻 Computed
Rotatable Bonds 2 count💻 Computed
Aromatic Rings 1 count💻 Computed
Molar Refractivity 34.509 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA
Polarizability 13.681 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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