Sweet, fruity-floral with a soft, jasmine-banana quality. Benzyl propionate smells like ripe bananas on a bed of jasmine petals — warm, ester-sweet, gently tropical.
Sweet, fruity-floral opening — banana and jasmine in equal measure. Soft, ester-bright, warm. Less sharp than benzyl acetate (which is more strongly jasmine), more fruity than benzyl benzoate. The banana quality is ripe and pleasant, not the harsh isoamyl acetate version. On blotter, moderate tenacity with a gradual fade into a sweet, clean residue.
Evolution over time
Immediately
Immediately
Sweet fruity-floral burst — banana and jasmine. Ester-bright.
CAS 122-63-4. An ester of benzyl alcohol and propionic acid. The molecule provides a sweet, fruity-floral scent with a pronounced banana-like character and subtle jasmine undertones.
The scent is characteristic of aromatic esters: sweet, diffusive, and immediately pleasant. The banana-fruity quality comes from the propionate group (propionic acid esters are common in banana and tropical fruit aromas); the floral-jasmine quality comes from the benzyl portion. Together, they create a warm, rounded, fruity-floral note that blends easily.
In perfumery, benzyl propionate is used as a modifier in jasmine accords (natural jasmine absolute contains trace esters) and in fruity-floral compositions where a soft, tropical sweetness is desired.
The 'banana' quality of propionate esters is so characteristic that perfumery students can identify the propionate group by nose alone — a skill called 'ester recognition' that is taught in the first months of perfumery school.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Produced synthetically by esterification of benzyl alcohol with propionic acid. Simple, inexpensive synthesis. No significant natural source for commercial production, though trace amounts occur in some natural extracts.
Molecular Formula
C10H12O2
CAS Number
122-63-4
Botanical Name
N/A — synthetic molecule
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
BENZYL 2-PROPANOATE
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
medium
Lasting Power
8 hour(s) at 100.00 %
Appearance
colorless clear oily liquid
Boiling Point
222.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash Point
> 200.00 °F. TCC ( > 93.33 °C. )
Specific Gravity
1.02800 to 1.03300 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index
1.49500 to 1.50000 @ 20.00 °C.
In Perfumery
Heart modifier in jasmine reconstructions and fruity-floral compositions. Benzyl propionate adds a soft, tropical-fruity sweetness to floral accords. In jasmine bases, it contributes a ripe, sweet quality that complements benzyl acetate's greener character. Also used in tropical-floral and fruity-sweet compositions where a banana-jasmine ambiguity is desired. Low dosages — typically well below 1% — where its effect is additive rather than dominant.
