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Cinnamic Acid

Q: Is Cinnamic Acid natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Produced synthetically by Perkin reaction (condensation of benzaldehyde with acetic anhydride) or Knoevenagel condensation. Found naturally in balsams but not commercially extracted from them. The Perkin reaction for cinnamic acid synthesis, developed in 1868, is one of the oldest named reactions in organic chemistry..

SPICES / balsamic · honey · faint

Cinnamic Acid

Category	SPICES
Subcategory	balsamic · honey · faint
Origin
Volatility	Base Note
Botanical	N/A — occurs naturally in cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.), storax balsam, shea butter; primarily synthesized
Appearance	Pale amber powder
Odor Strength	Low
Producing Countries	China, Germany, India
Pyramid	Base

Faintly balsamic, honey-like, nearly odorless. Cinnamic acid is a quiet molecule — its value is chemical, as a precursor to more expressive cinnamic derivatives.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Very faint at ambient temperature. A mild, honey-balsamic quality if concentrated or warmed. Low volatility limits olfactory impact. Less aromatic than any of its ester derivatives. On blotter, barely detectable — the molecule's low vapor pressure keeps it from reaching the nose effectively.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Barely perceptible. Faint honey-balsamic if concentrated.

After a few hours

Essentially odorless at normal conditions.

After a few days

No significant evolution. Low-volatility solid.

The Full Story

CAS 140-10-3. Trans-3-phenyl-2-propenoic acid. A crystalline solid found in storax, tolu balsam, Peru balsam, and shea butter. Cinnamic acid itself has a very faint aroma — mildly balsamic, slightly honey-like — because its low volatility limits how much reaches the nose.

The molecule is more important as a chemical building block than as an odorant. Cinnamic acid is the parent compound of the cinnamate family — its esters (methyl cinnamate, ethyl cinnamate, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamaldehyde) are all significant perfumery materials with much stronger and more defined scents.

In perfumery, cinnamic acid appears naturally in balsams (it is one of the main non-volatile components of Peru and tolu balsams) and contributes to their warm, balsamic character indirectly through slow ester hydrolysis on skin.

This note in Première Peau. Insuline Safrine · Gravitas Capitale. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Related: Allspice · Anethole · Anise · Asafoetida · Baking Spices · Bay Leaf · Biryani · Caraway

Did You Know?

Did you know?

The Perkin reaction — William Henry Perkin's 1868 synthesis of cinnamic acid from benzaldehyde and acetic anhydride — was developed by the same chemist who accidentally discovered the first synthetic dye (mauveine) in 1856. Perkin's career bookended two revolutions: synthetic color and synthetic fragrance.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Produced synthetically by Perkin reaction (condensation of benzaldehyde with acetic anhydride) or Knoevenagel condensation. Found naturally in balsams but not commercially extracted from them. The Perkin reaction for cinnamic acid synthesis, developed in 1868, is one of the oldest named reactions in organic chemistry.

Molecular Formula	C9H8O2
CAS Number	140-10-3
Botanical Name	N/A — occurs naturally in cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.), storax balsam, shea butter; primarily synthesized
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	3-Phenylacrylic acid, trans-Cinnamic acid
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Low
Lasting Power	340 hours at 20% in dipropylene glycol
Appearance	Pale amber powder
Boiling Point	300°C
Specific Gravity	1.248 @ 20°C
Melting Point	133°C (trans-form)

In Perfumery

Chemical intermediate and minor component of natural balsams. Cinnamic acid is not used as a standalone perfumery ingredient. Its significance is structural — as the parent compound of cinnamate esters (cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl alcohol, methyl cinnamate) that are common. In balsams, cinnamic acid and its esters collectively provide warm, balsamic character. The molecule also has UV-absorbing properties, making it relevant to sunscreen chemistry.