Para-Anisyl Alcohol

SyntheticFLOWERSsweet · anisic · floral

HeartPyramid

—Strength

82hTenacity

4Origins

Specimen

Heart

N/A — synthetic molecule (occurs naturally in anise, vanilla)

Definition

Sweet, floral-anisic with a warm, hawthorn-like quality. Para-anisyl alcohol smells like hawthorn flowers in warm sun — powdery, sweet, with a subtle anise undertone.

FLORAL SWEET

ANISE ALCOHOL 4-METHOXYBENZYL ALCOHOL

Type: Ingredient
Olfactive family: Florals
Subfamily: Powdery florals
Cluster: Powdery florals
Source: synthetic molecule
Chemical class: alcohol (aromatic)

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

Tenacity on blotter

82hours · 3 days

1 h6 h24 h3 d7 d400 h

at 100 %

Producing countries

China India Germany United States

Scent

Sweet, warm, floral-anisic. Powdery hawthorn-like quality. Milder than anisaldehyde, less purely anisic than anethole. A gentle, warm sweetness — pleasant and uncontroversial. Moderate tenacity.

In PREMIEREPEAU

DISCOVERY SET7 × 2 ml →EXTRAIT DE PARFUMThe seven extraits →

The Full Story

CAS 105-13-5. 4-Methoxybenzyl alcohol. A simple aromatic alcohol with a sweet, floral, anisic character. The scent is warm, powdery-sweet, with a hawthorn-like floralcy and a subtle anise-vanilla undertone.

Para-anisyl alcohol is gentler than anisaldehyde (to which it is structurally related — the alcohol vs. the aldehyde) and softer than anethole. It provides a warm, sweet-floral quality that is unassertive and pleasant. The molecule appears naturally in anise, vanilla, and various flowers.

In perfumery, it is used as a sweet-floral modifier in powdery, mimosa, and hawthorn accords. Its mild character makes it a blending tool rather than a dominant note.

Explore all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Did You Know?

Para-anisyl alcohol is one of the 'vanillin satellite' molecules — compounds found alongside vanillin in vanilla beans that collectively create the full vanilla scent experience. Pure vanillin smells flat compared to real vanilla, partly because it lacks supporting molecules like para-anisyl alcohol, anisaldehyde, and guaiacol.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

Produced synthetically by reduction of anisaldehyde. Found naturally in anise and vanilla. Simple, inexpensive synthesis.

Formula: C8H10O2
CAS: 105-13-5
Botanical: N/A — synthetic molecule (occurs naturally in anise, vanilla)
Appearance: white to pale yellow liquid to solid
Lasting power: 82 hour(s) at 100.00 %
Synonyms: ANISE ALCOHOL 4-METHOXYBENZYL ALCOHOL

IFRA status

Restricted

IFRA Standard (Anisyl alcohol, 51st Amendment): restriction. Category 4: 0.21%; Category 5A: 0.041%.

Physical properties

Boiling point: 259.00 to 260.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Melting point: 23.00 to 25.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash point: 230.00 °F. TCC ( 110.00 °C. )
Specific gravity: 1.10800 to 1.11600 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive index: 1.54200 to 1.54600 @ 20.00 °C.

In Perfumery

Modifier in powdery, mimosa, and hawthorn compositions. Para-anisyl alcohol adds gentle, sweet-floral warmth. It works in powdery-floral accords, mimosa reconstructions, and as a sweet modifier in various floral compositions. Less impactful than anisaldehyde but smoother and more adaptable as a blending agent.

Role in the formula

01modifier

02blender

Available as

synthetic