This section provides an overview of benzyl acetate (4-methoxybenzyl acetate), covering its manufacturing processes and regulatory status, as well as its applications in the food, flavour, fragrance, cosmetic, and personal-care industries. Also, please check out the introduction to benzyl acetate manufacturers, supply chain issues, benzyl acetate suppliers, and benzyl acetate prices. Sinofi can help you buy benzyl acetate at bulk wholesale prices based on FEMA 2135 and CAS 140-11-4.
Table of Contents
What is Benzyl Acetate?
Benzyl acetate is a sweet, floral-fruity aromatic ester that serves as a cornerstone of fruit and floral flavour development. It delivers jasmine-like floralcy together with pear, apple, and broader fruit character, functioning primarily as a harmonising middle note that adds ripeness, body, and natural roundness. Benzyl acetate is the ester formed between benzyl alcohol and acetic acid. This structural relationship is central to understanding its behaviour in formulation, because the ester linkage governs both its characteristic odour and its susceptibility to hydrolysis under certain conditions. Classical jasmine bases are built around benzyl acetate in combination with materials such as benzyl alcohol, ethyl maltol, bourgeonal, indole, cis-3-hexenol, linalool, farnesol and hedione, among others. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), benzyl acetate is approved to be used in the flavour and fragrance industries.
Regulatory Status and Safety Considerations
Benzyl acetate has been evaluated by major regulatory bodies such as JECFA, EFSA, RIFM, ECHACHEM, NIST, IFRA, and WHO. For flavour use, it is recognized under the FEMA GRAS programme as FEMA No. 2135, and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, evaluating it within the family of benzyl derivative flavouring agents, concluded that it does not present a safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. For fragrance use, benzyl acetate is not restricted as a pure substance under the IFRA Standards through the 51st Amendment. Nevertheless, the formulation engineer must always work in accordance with the current IFRA Standards and the relevant regional regulations, because aggregate exposure assessments and amendment cycles can change applicable conditions over time.
Two further regulatory points are routinely relevant. Under the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC No. 1223/2009), benzyl acetate-bearing compositions may trigger fragrance-allergen labelling obligations where listed allergens are present above the defined thresholds in the finished product. Separately, environmental assessment has flagged benzyl acetate for attention with respect to aquatic toxicity at a screening level, although it has not been identified as persistent or bioaccumulative; responsible formulation, therefore, considers down-the-drain product categories accordingly. As always, final responsibility for the safe and compliant use of any material in a marketed product rests with the supplying company.
Sensory Profile
For the formulation engineer, the defining attribute of benzyl acetate is its sensory contribution.
Odour. The aroma is sweet and floral, dominated by a clean jasmine character with a fruity, slightly balsamic undertone. It is frequently described as the principal contributor to synthetic jasmine accords.
Taste. In flavour systems, benzyl acetate presents a sweet, fruity taste with floral facets. It reads most clearly as pear and apple, with supporting nuances applicable to banana, cherry, berry, and tropical fruit profiles. The floral-fruity duality allows it to round and naturalise fruit flavours that would otherwise appear thin or overly sharp.
Functional role. Benzyl acetate is typically used as a modifier and harmonising agent rather than as a sole character-impact compound. It softens the angularity of more volatile esters, lends a perceived ripeness and juiciness, and contributes a floral lift that mimics the volatile profile of fresh fruit.
Natural Occurrence
Benzyl acetate occurs naturally in numerous botanical sources, which supports its use in both nature-identical and natural flavour declarations. It is a major constituent of jasmine, ylang-ylang, neroli, gardenia, tuberose, and hyacinth absolutes and oils. It is also present in a range of fruits, including pear, apple, and certain berries. This natural prevalence is one reason the compound integrates so seamlessly into fruit flavour reconstitutions.
CAS No.: 140-11-4
According to the American Chemical Society, the CAS number of benzyl acetate is 140-11-4.
CAS Name: Benzyl acetate
Molecular Formula: C9H10O2
Molecular Mass: 150.17
Appearance: Colourless to light yellow, clear liquid.
JECFA Number: 23
Food Chemicals Codex Listed: Yes
Boiling Point: 212.00 to 215.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Solubility: Very slightly soluble in water, glycerol; soluble in organic solvents, oils
Other Names:
♦ Acetic acid, phenylmethyl ester
♦ Acetic acid, benzyl ester
♦ Benzyl alcohol, acetate
♦ Benzyl acetate
♦ Benzyl ethanoate
♦α-Acetoxytoluene
♦ (Acetoxymethyl)benzene
♦ Phenylmethyl acetate
Benzyl Acetate Odour
Odour Strength: Medium.
Substantivity: 4 hours at 100.00 %.
Odour Description: At 100.00 %. sweet floral fruity jasmin fresh.
FEMA Number 2135
According to the Flavour and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA), the FEMA number of benzyl acetate is 2135.
Bulk Benzyl Acetate Manufacturers
Bulk production of benzyl acetate is concentrated in Asia, with China as the dominant manufacturing centre. Top benzyl acetate manufacturers such as Eastman, Lanxess, Symrise, IFF, Givaudan, and Lluch Essence have substantial benzyl-derivative portfolios for internal use and merchant sales.
Sinofi is a bulk benzyl acetate manufacturer in China, and we have a manufacturing facility with 2,500 square meters for the production of benzyl acetate. We supply high-quality benzyl acetate at bulk prices and serve the food, flavour, fragrance, cosmetic, and personal-care industries worldwide.
Manufacturing Process of Benzyl Acetate
Benzyl acetate is manufactured by three principal routes—Fischer esterification of benzyl alcohol with acetic acid, acetylation with acetic anhydride, and nucleophilic substitution of benzyl chloride with sodium acetate—each with a distinct mechanistic basis, catalyst system, and balance of cost, atom economy, and hazard.
Route 1: Fischer Esterification of Benzyl Alcohol with Acetic Acid
C6H5CH2OH + CH3COOH ⇌ C6H5CH2OCOCH3 + H2O
It is, however, a reversible, equilibrium-limited reaction, and the principal engineering challenge is to drive the equilibrium toward the ester.
Route 2: Acetylation with Acetic Anhydride
Benzyl alcohol reacts with acetic anhydride to give benzyl acetate and acetic acid:
C6H5CH2OH + (CH3CO)2O → C6H5CH2OCOCH3 + CH3COOH
Characteristics
Unlike the Fischer route, acetylation with acetic anhydride is rapid and essentially irreversible, providing high conversions and excellent yields under mild conditions without the need to remove water. The reaction is commonly accelerated by catalytic 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), pyridine, or a Brønsted acid. The trade-offs are economic and environmental: acetic anhydride is more expensive than acetic acid, the route co-produces a mole of acetic acid per mole of ester (reducing atom economy), and acetic anhydride is a regulated substance subject to precursor controls in many jurisdictions.
Route 3: Reaction of Benzyl Chloride with Sodium Acetate
Benzyl chloride undergoes nucleophilic substitution with sodium acetate to yield benzyl acetate and sodium chloride:
C6H5CH2Cl + CH3COONa → C6H5CH2OCOCH3 + NaCl
Bulk Benzyl Acetate Suppliers
The bulk benzyl acetate supply is broad, competitive, and channel-layered, dominated by Asian manufacturers and suppliers. Top benzyl acetate suppliers like Eastman, Lanxess, Symrise, IFF, Givaudan, and Lluch Essence synthesize this material and sell directly to large buyers or through exporters.
Sinofi is a bulk benzyl acetate supplier in China, and we have a warehouse with 1,200 square meters for high-quality benzyl acetate. We sell different grades of benzyl acetate at wholesale prices, serving end-users in the food, flavour, fragrance, cosmetic, and personal care industries.
Supply Chain of Benzyl Acetate
The benzyl acetate value chain follows a tiered structure that progresses from petrochemical feedstocks through chemical manufacturing, distribution, and finally into a diverse set of consumer and industrial end markets.
Supply Chain Structure
The structure can be understood as four interconnected tiers, examined below in turn.
Upstream Tier: Feedstocks and Raw Materials
The economics and availability of benzyl acetate are governed by petrochemical feedstocks rather than by agricultural inputs. Although the compound occurs naturally in jasmine and ylang-ylang, extraction at scale is limited and reserved for niche, high-value natural fragrance applications. The overwhelming majority of commercial volume is produced synthetically.
The principal raw materials are:
- Toluene, an aromatic hydrocarbon derived from crude oil refining and naphtha reforming, serves as the foundational building block.
- Benzyl chloride and benzyl alcohol are intermediates produced from toluene through chlorination and subsequent hydrolysis.
- Acetic acid or acetic anhydride, which supplies the acetyl group required to form the ester.
Manufacturing Tier: Production and Conversion
Manufacturing performance increasingly depends on continuous esterification reactor systems that deliver consistent quality at high volume, followed by distillation, purification, and quality control to meet the stringent purity grades demanded by fragrance, flavour, and pharmaceutical customers.
Midstream Tier: Distribution and Logistics
Benzyl acetate reaches its varied customer base through two principal channels. Large industrial buyers and major fragrance houses are frequently served through producers’ direct sales relationships, often governed by long-term supply agreements, vendor audits, and batch certification requirements. Smaller flavour houses, regional formulators, and speciality buyers are typically served by chemical distributors and traders, who provide value through smaller minimum order quantities, rapid access to certificates of analysis, and local market presence.
Downstream Tier: End-Use Industries
Demand is distributed across several end markets, with the fragrance and perfumery segment occupying the leading position owing to the compound’s essential role in floral and fruity scent formulations and the industry’s reliance on aroma chemicals for consistency and quality. The principal downstream segments are:
- Fragrances and perfumery are the dominant demand driver.
- Personal care and cosmetics, including creams, lotions, hair care, soaps, and detergents.
- Food and beverage flavours, supported by regulatory-approved safety status.
- Coatings, inks, and industrial solvents, leveraging the compound’s solvency properties.
- Pharmaceutical and agrochemical intermediates, where benzyl acetate and its derivatives serve specialized synthesis roles.
Wholesale and Buy Benzyl Acetate in Bulk
Effective wholesale procurement of benzyl acetate rests on a precisely defined specification, a balanced sourcing strategy that combines contracted producers with flexible distributors, and disciplined evaluation. Because its cost is driven by petrochemical feedstocks and is exposed to regional and geopolitical factors, dual sourcing, robust supplier qualification, and formal supply agreements are the most reliable means of securing continuity of supply at a competitive cost. Benzyl acetate buyers should combine these practices with rigorous incoming quality control.
Define the Specification Before Sourcing
A precise specification is the foundation of an effective bulk purchase. Misalignment on grade or purity is a frequent cause of rejected lots, formulation failures, and disputes. Before issuing a request for quotation, the purchasing team should confirm the following with the technical or formulation function:
- Application and grade. Benzyl acetate is supplied in distinct grades aligned to end use, including fragrance grade, food or flavour grade, and technical or industrial solvent grade. The required grade determines acceptable purity, permissible impurities, and the documentation a supplier must provide.
- Purity and assay. Fragrance and flavour applications typically demand high purity with a stable, consistent aromatic profile, whereas industrial-solvent applications may tolerate a wider specification.
- Regulatory status. For food, beverage, and personal care use, confirm that the material carries the relevant safety and regulatory credentials for the destination market.
Bulk Packaging and Order Formats
Benzyl acetate is offered across a range of bulk packaging configurations. The appropriate format depends on consumption rate, storage capacity, handling equipment, and shelf-life considerations. Common options include:
- Drums are typically suited to mid-volume buyers and intermittent drawdown.
- Intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) are appropriate for higher and more continuous consumption.
- ISO tanks or bulk road and rail tankers are used by large-volume manufacturers operating dedicated storage.
Minimum order quantities vary by channel. Producers serving large industrial accounts may impose substantial minimums under contract, whereas distributors frequently accommodate smaller minimum order quantities and provide greater order flexibility for regional or speciality buyers.
Supplier Selection and Qualification
Robust supplier qualification protects supply continuity and product quality. Recommended evaluation criteria include:
- Quality systems and certification. Verify relevant quality management and, where applicable, food-safety or cosmetic-grade certifications.
- Documentation capability. Confirm the supplier can consistently provide certificates of analysis, safety data sheets, and regulatory or origin documentation.
- Audit history and traceability. Buyers in regulated segments should prioritize suppliers with strong vendor audit history and batch-level traceability.
Dual sourcing across different suppliers, and ideally different production regions, is a prudent safeguard against single-source disruption.
As a bulk benzyl acetate manufacturer and supplier in China, we wholesale this ingredient to end users in the food, flavour, fragrance, cosmetics, and personal care industries. We also supply benzyl acetate to small customers. Normally, they want to buy benzyl acetate in small quantities. To serve them, we can sell benzyl acetate at bulk prices and provide a one-stop purchasing service.
Benzyl Acetate Prices (USD/Kg)
Flavour Grade Benzyl Acetate Prices (GC Content >=99.5%)
| Volume | Unit Price | Shipment |
| 50g | 5 USD | Express |
| 500g | 21 USD | Express |
| 1Kg | 28 USD/Kg | Express |
| 25Kg | 19 USD/Kg | Express |
| 100Kg | 14 USD/Kg | Express / Sea |
| 200Kg-Above | negotiable | Express / Sea |
Benzyl acetate prices are segmented by source (synthetic versus natural), by purity (commonly 95%, 98%, 99.5% and 99.9% grades), and by grade (industrial/detergents, food/FCC, and cosmetic/fragrance). Food-grade benzyl acetate prices generally range from 15 to 30 USD/kg, while perfume-grade (purity ≥99.9%) typically commands 30 to 50 USD/kg. In contrast, detergent-grade benzyl acetate has lower purity requirements (95% or 60%) and a significantly lower price—ranging from 4 to 10 USD/kg, depending on order volume (10–20 MT). Fragrance- and cosmetic-grade benzyl acetate, and especially natural (plant-derived) grades, trade well above this level. The price of natural benzyl acetate ranges between $130 and 350 per kilogram, depending on the supplier and volume.
Europe holds the largest regional share (around 40 per cent), reflecting its concentration of fine-fragrance houses and cosmetic brands, while Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region, with China/India dominating production and exports. Synthetic grade dominates volume (around 75 per cent of the market), while natural and natural-identical grades are the fastest-growing segment, expanding at high single-digit rates on the back of clean-beauty demand.
Furthermore, the above price quotations of benzyl acetate do not include the express shipping fee. The reason is that the shipment cost may exceed the sample value of benzyl acetate. However, the bulk wholesale prices of benzyl acetate will be much lower than those of small orders. Please contact us for more details.
Benzyl Acetate Specification
| Appearance | Colourless to light yellow, clear liquid. |
| Odor: | Sweet, floral, fruity, jasmine fresh. |
| Purity (GC) | >=99.5% |
| Benzyl Alcohol | <0.1% |
| Acid Value (mg KOH/g) | <=1.0 |
| Refractive Index (20°C) | 1.500 – 1.504 |
| Specific Gravity (at 25℃/25℃) | 1.049 – 1.059 |
| Solubility | 1ml sample is dissolved in (volume fraction 60%) 5ml ethanol |
Benzyl Acetate Uses
Benzyl acetate is one of the most widely used aromatic esters in modern industry, valued chiefly for its sweet, floral aroma reminiscent of jasmine.
Use in the Fragrance and Perfume Industry
The most prominent application of benzyl acetate lies in perfumery. Because it so effectively reproduces the soft, sweet character of jasmine, it serves as a fundamental building block in countless floral and fruity fragrance compositions. Perfumers employ it both as a primary note and as a blending agent that harmonizes other aromatic materials. It appears frequently in fine fragrances, as well as in scented consumer goods such as soaps, detergents, lotions, and air fresheners, where it imparts a pleasant and recognizable floral quality.
Use as a Flavouring Agent
In addition to its role in fragrance, benzyl acetate is used as a flavouring substance in the food and beverage industry. Applied in carefully regulated quantities, it contributes fruity notes to products such as confectionery, baked goods, and certain beverages. Its use as a food additive is governed by established safety guidelines, and manufacturers adhere to permitted concentration levels to ensure consumer safety.
Use in Cosmetics and Personal Care
The cosmetics industry incorporates benzyl acetate into numerous personal care products, including perfumes, skin creams, hair care formulations, and bath products. In these applications, it serves the dual purpose of providing fragrance and, in some cases, acting as a solvent for other ingredients. As with all cosmetic components, its inclusion is subject to regulatory oversight intended to protect consumer health.
Use as an Industrial Solvent
Benzyl acetate is a strong solvent, making it suitable for dissolving a variety of materials. It is employed in the production of cellulose acetate and cellulose nitrate, as well as in certain plastics, resins, oils, and lacquers. Within the coatings and inks sectors, it functions as a solvent that aids in achieving smooth application and consistent finishes. This industrial role, while less visible to consumers than its fragrance applications, accounts for a significant share of overall demand.
Benzyl Acetate Benefits
The benefits of benzyl acetate extend well beyond its agreeable scent. Its combination of an appealing jasmine-like fragrance, strong solvent performance, cross-industry versatility, cost-effectiveness, and dependable stability explains its enduring importance in modern manufacturing.
A Highly Desirable Fragrance Profile
Perhaps the most celebrated benefit of benzyl acetate is its pleasant aroma. The compound closely reproduces the soft, sweet character of natural jasmine, allowing manufacturers to deliver an appealing floral note without relying exclusively on costly natural extracts.
Excellent Solvent Performance
A further significant benefit lies in the compound’s strong solvent capabilities. Benzyl acetate dissolves a variety of materials, including cellulose esters, resins, oils, and certain plastics. This property makes it valuable in the manufacture of coatings, lacquers, and inks, where an effective solvent contributes to smooth application and a uniform finish. By performing reliably across these tasks, it supports efficient production processes and high-quality results.
Chemical Stability and Ease of Handling
Benzyl acetate remains stable under normal storage and handling conditions, simplifying its use in manufacturing and contributing to consistent product quality over time. Its compatibility with common organic solvents and its predictable behaviour in formulation make it convenient for chemists and product developers to work with. This reliability reduces the likelihood of unexpected variation in finished products.
Benzyl Acetate in E-Liquid and Vaping Products
Benzyl acetate is a versatile, well-studied ester that contributes sweet, fruity, and jasmine-floral character to e-liquid formulations, and it carries a strong safety pedigree as a food flavouring and fragrance material.
Role in E-Liquid Formulation
E-liquids consist principally of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin as carrier solvents, frequently with nicotine and a blend of flavouring chemicals. Benzyl acetate belongs to the ester family of flavourings that, alongside compounds such as ethyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl maltol, ethyl vanillin, and benzaldehyde, recur across many commercial products. Its value to a formulator lies in its capacity to introduce sweet, fruity, and floral dimensions that round out fruit-forward and floral e-liquid profiles.
Regulatory Status
The most accurate present-day position is one of qualified caution: the oral safety of benzyl acetate is well established, its inhalation profile under realistic vaping conditions remains incompletely characterized, and the behaviour of the compound and its solvents under heating introduces additional uncertainty that warrants continued research and careful regulatory attention.
United States
E-liquids and the devices that use them are regulated by the FDA as tobacco products under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, following the 2016 deeming rule.
European Union
Under Article 20 of the Tobacco Products Directive (2014/40/EU), nicotine-containing e-liquids must be notified through the EU Common Entry Gate at least six months before being placed on the market. The Directive does not enumerate permitted flavourings, but it does impose two relevant constraints. First, except for nicotine, an e-liquid may contain only ingredients that do not pose a risk to human health in heated or unheated form. Second, it prohibits the additive categories listed in Article 7(6): vitamins or additives suggesting a health benefit, caffeine or taurine and similar stimulants, additives with colouring properties for emissions, additives that facilitate inhalation or nicotine uptake, and additives that have carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic properties in unburnt form. Benzyl acetate falls into none of these prohibited categories and is not classified as a CMR substance, so it is not banned per se.
A Jasmine Tea Flavouring Formulation Utilizing Benzyl Acetate
Include the following ingredients (by weight, total 100g):
Cis-3-hexenol: 1; Linalool: 0.5; Phenethyl Alcohol: 0.8; Alpha-Amylcinnamaldehyde: 2; Hexanal: 0.5; Benzyl Acetate: 0.5; Jasmine Absolute: 3; Neroli Oil: 0.5; Cis-3-Hexenyl Acetate: 0.5; Indole: 3; Geraniol: 1; Geranyl Acetate: 0.5; Linalyl Acetate: 0.3; Methyl Dihydrojasmonate: 3; Farnesol: 0.5; Alpha-Terpineol: 0.6; Beta-Damascone: 0.2; Beta-Ionone: 0.2; Benzyl Alcohol: 0.08; Cis-3-Hexenyl Benzoate: 0.05; Ethyl Maltol: 0.3; Methyl Anthranilate: 0.5; Methyl Benzoate: 0.05; Methyl Salicylate: 0.1; Ethanol: 80.32.
In conclusion, benzyl acetate plays an important role in many industries due to its distinctive jasmine-like aroma and solvent properties. As a bulk benzyl acetate manufacturer and supplier in China, we offer various grades of benzyl acetate at wholesale prices to clients worldwide.