Eucalyptus olida (strawberry gum, 98%) · Ocimum canum (hoary basil, 38-51%) · Ocimum basilicum ct. methyl cinnamate (up to 70%) · Alpinia galanga (galangal, up to 33%)
Appearance
White crystalline solid
Odor Strength
Medium-High (recommend evaluation at dilution)
Producing Countries
Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam
Pyramid
Heart-to-Base
Strawberry jam cooling on a windowsill, with a cinnamon stick resting beside it. Methyl cinnamate is a crystalline ester that melts at 34°C — just below skin temperature — releasing a rush of balsamic-fruity sweetness. More radiant and less aggressive than cinnamaldehyde, with a clean ester brightness that carries no spice bite.
Opening: a bright, sweet rush of strawberry and cherry — not synthetic-fruit, but the clean, ripe, slightly jammy sweetness of actual berry esters. Underneath, warm cinnamic spice: closer to cinnamon bark than to clove, with none of cinnamaldehyde’s burning bite. A balsamic resinous quality anchors the sweetness, keeping it structured rather than saccharine.
Drier and more angular than ethyl cinnamate, which has a rounder, more honeyed balsamic quality. Brighter and more projecting than benzyl cinnamate, which is quiet, powdery, and operates exclusively in the base. More fruity and less herbaceous than eugenol. The strawberry quality is genuine — methyl cinnamate occurs naturally in strawberry fru it and is part of what gives strawberries their characteristic scent.
On skin after thirty minutes, the fruit softens and the warm-spice balsamic core takes over — clean, resinous, faintly floral, with a suggestion of carnation. The tenacity is remarkable for a top-heart material: detectable on blotter after several days, long after the initial fruity brightness has faded.
Evolution over time
Immediately
Immediately
Bright strawberry-cherry burst. Sweet balsamic ester radiance. Warm cinnamic spice underneath. Potent sillage even from trace amounts — fills a room from a single drop.
After a few hours
After a few hours
Fruit softens from ripe-berry to a warmer, more resinous strawberry-jam quality. Cinnamic spice becomes the primary axis. Faint carnation-like floral undertone emerges. The balsamic backbone holds steady — structured, not cloying.
After a few days
After a few days
Warm, clean balsamic residue. The fruity top has faded but a sweet, resinous trace persists on blotter past 164 hours at 100% concentration. On skin, the warm-spice balsamic signature is the last note standing — dry, faintly powdery.
The Full Story
CAS 103-26-4. Methyl (E)-cinnamate. Molecular formula C₁₀H₁₀O₂, MW 162.19. The methyl ester of trans-cinnamic acid — a white crystalline solid with a melting point of 34°C, meaning it liquefies just below skin temperature. This physical property matters in practice: the solid dissolves on warm skin, releasing a burst of balsamic-fruity sweetness that projects immediately.
The odour is sweet, balsamic, unmistakably fruity — strawberry and cherry dominate, with a warm cinnamic undertone that never reaches the aldehyde’s bite. Softer than cinnamaldehyde, sweeter than cinnamyl alcohol, more fruity than cinnamic acid itself. Think of the difference between raw cinnamon bark (aggressive, pungent) and a warm cinnamon pastry (sweet, rounded, inviting): methyl cinnamate sits in pastry territory. Compared to ethyl cinnamate, the methyl ester is brighter, more volatile, and more distinctly fruity, but with less body in the drydown. Compared to benzyl cinnamate, it is dramatically more powerful and more diffusive. TGSC classifies the odour type as balsamic. PerfumersWorld tags it as balsamic, cherry, floral, fresh, spicy, strawberry, and sweet.
Naturally abundant. The richest known source is Eucalyptus olid a (strawberry gum), an Australian tree endemic to New South Wales whose leaf oil is 98% methyl cinnamate at 2–6% yield by fresh weight — identified by Dr Ian Southwell at the Wollongbar Agricultural Institute in the 1980s. The methyl cinnamate chemotype of basil (Ocimum basilicum) contains 25–70% depending on cultivar — this is Thai and cinnam on basil, whose particular sweet-spicy flavour comes directly from this molecule. Also present in galangal rhizome oil (Alpini a galang a, 2–33%), Sichuan pepper, cinnam on bark (Cinnamomum verum), guav a, feijo a, and strawberry fru it. The molecule’s ubiquity in edible plants explains its FEMA 2698 GRAS status and FDA approval as a flavour additive (21 CFR 172.515).
Not restricted by IFRA (51st Amendment, 2024). No IFRA Standard exists for CAS 103-26-4. This is notable because several related cinnamic materials ARE restricted — alpha-methyl cinnamic aldehyde, benzyl cinnamate, alpha-amyl cinnamic alcohol all carry category limits. A maximisation test on 105 subjects showed no sensitisation reactions. Substantivity is 164 hours at 100% on blotter — notable tenacity for a material with such bright, fruity top-note character. Boiling point 260–262°C. Flash point 141°C TCC. Specific gravity 1.07. Soluble in alcohol, ether, glycerin, propylene glycol, and most non-volatile oils. Insoluble in water.
Eucalyptus olida, a small Australian tree known as strawberry gum, produces a leaf oil that is 98% methyl cinnamate. The tree is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales and is now threatened in the wild. Plantations have been established to meet demand — the dried, ground leaves are also used as a spice in modern Australian cuisine. The tree’s common name comes directly from the strawberry-like scent of its crushed leaves, which is entirely due to this molecule.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Commercial methyl cinnamate is produced synthetically by acid-catalysed esterification of trans-cinnamic acid with methanol — a straightforward, high-yield reaction. Alternative route: Claisen condensation of benzaldehyde with methyl acetate using sodium methoxide as base. Natural methyl cinnamate can be isolated from Eucalyptus olida (strawberry gum), an Australian tree whose leaf oil contains up to 98% methyl cinnamate at 2–6% yield by fresh weight — the richest known natural source. Also isolable from methyl cinnamate chemotype basil (Ocimum basilicum, 25–70% depending on cultivar) and galangal rhizome oil (Alpinia galanga, 2–33% depending on origin). The crystalline solid form (mp 34°C) is the standard commercial presentation; must be melted or pre-dissolved before weighing. Dilutions at 10% or 50% in DPG or TEC are common for formulation convenience.
Molecular Formula
C10H10O2
CAS Number
103-26-4
Botanical Name
Eucalyptus olida (strawberry gum, 98%) · Ocimum canum (hoary basil, 38-51%) · Ocimum basilicum ct. methyl cinnamate (up to 70%) · Alpinia galanga (galangal, up to 33%)
IFRA Status
Not restricted. No IFRA Standard exists for methyl cinnamate (CAS 103-26-4) as of the 51st Amendment (January 2024). Note: related cinnamic materials ARE restricted — alpha-methyl cinnamic aldehyde (max 1.5% cat. 4), benzyl cinnamate (max 2.0% cat. 4), alpha-amyl cinnamic alcohol (max 1.5% cat. 4). Methyl cinnamate itself is not among them. A maximisation test on 105 subjects showed no sensitisation reactions. FEMA 2698 GRAS for flavour use.
Synonyms
METHYL 3-PHENYLACRYLATE · METHYL TRANS-CINNAMATE
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
Medium-High (recommend evaluation at dilution)
Lasting Power
164 hour(s) at 100.00%
Appearance
White crystalline solid
Boiling Point
260-262 °C @ 760 mm Hg
Flash Point
141 °C (286 °F) TCC
Refractive Index
1.5670 (nD20)
Melting Point
34-36 °C
In Perfumery
Heart-to-base modifier in amber, carnation, and balsamic-fruity compositions. Methyl cinnamate provides fruity-balsamic radiance at low dosage — surprisingly powerful for a crystalline solid. In amber and amber accords it contributes warm, sweet depth, especially when paired with labdanum and benzoin. In carnation reconstructions it supplies a convincing sweet-spicy freshness alongside eugenol and isoeugenol. Effective in narcissus bases, where it adds fruity body, and in lavender or fougère structures for an unexpected sweet-spicy warmth. Compared to ethyl cinnamate (which is quieter, rounder, and more balsamic), methyl cinnamate is brighter, more projecting, and more distinctly fruity. Compared to benzyl cinnamate (a heavy, tenacious base-note fixative), methyl cinnamate is radiant and immediate. Functions as both a modifier and a fixative — its 164-hour substantivity on blotter is unusual for a material with such bright, fruity character. Not restricted by IFRA, which makes it a practical alternative to cinnamaldehyde (a known sensitizer) when warm-spice character is needed. No current Première Peau fragrance lists methyl cinnamate as a declared note.
