Phenylethyl Formate

SyntheticFLOWERSfloral · rosy · green

HeartPyramid

3/5Strength

68hTenacity

1Origins

Specimen

Heart

N/A - synthetic molecule

Definition

Light, rosy-green with a fresh, slightly unripe quality. Phenylethyl formate smells like rose petals caught by a gust of cold morning air — floral, crisp, fleeting.

FLORAL GREEN

PHENETHYL FORMATE 2-PHENYLETHYL FORMATE

Type: Ingredient
Olfactive family: Florals
Subfamily: Classic florals
Cluster: Rose-like florals
Source: synthetic molecule
Chemical class: ester (formate)

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

3/5Strength

Medium

odour strength

Tenacity on blotter

68hours · 3 days

1 h6 h24 h3 d7 d400 h

at 100 %

Producing countries

N/A - manufactured globally

Scent

Light, fresh, green-rosy. Brighter and less sweet than phenylethyl alcohol. A crisp, slightly unripe quality — rose buds rather than open flowers. More volatile, less rounded, more transparent. Quick evaporation; on blotter, it fades within an hour to a faint, clean floral trace.

In PREMIEREPEAU

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

The Full Story

CAS 104-62-1. The formate ester of phenylethyl alcohol. The ester modification adds a lighter, greener, more volatile character to the warm rosy base of PEA. The result is a fresh, slightly green-rose note that functions as a top-note lifter.

The scent is floral-rosy but brighter and more transparent than phenylethyl alcohol itself. The formate group gives it a slightly green, unripe quality — like rose petals before they fully open. It is more ephemeral, less sweet, and less rounded than PEA. The molecule evaporates relatively quickly, making it a top-note contributor.

In perfumery, phenylethyl formate is used to add fresh, green-rose lift to floral compositions. It provides the opening freshness that the heavier PEA cannot deliver.

Explore all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Did You Know?

The formate ester series demonstrates a perfumery principle: shorter acid chains produce lighter, more volatile esters. Phenylethyl formate (C1 acid) is the lightest and most volatile rose ester; phenylethyl acetate (C2) is slightly heavier; phenylethyl propionate (C3) is heavier still. Each step up the acid chain trades freshness for body.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

Produced synthetically by esterification of phenylethyl alcohol with formic acid. Simple synthesis. Not commercially significant as a natural isolate.

Formula: C9H10O2
CAS: 104-62-1
Botanical: N/A - synthetic molecule
Appearance: colorless clear liquid
Odour strength: medium
Lasting power: 68 hour(s) at 100.00 %
Synonyms: PHENETHYL FORMATE 2-PHENYLETHYL FORMATE

IFRA status

See note

Not subject to an IFRA Standard (51st Amendment)

Physical properties

Boiling point: 226.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash point: 196.00 °F. TCC ( 91.11 °C. )
Specific gravity: 1.05600 to 1.06200 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive index: 1.50600 to 1.51000 @ 20.00 °C.

In Perfumery

Top-note lifter in rose and fresh-floral compositions. Phenylethyl formate provides the opening rose freshness that PEA is too heavy to deliver. It works in fresh-rose accords, green-floral compositions, and as a modifier that brightens heavier floral hearts. The molecule's quick evaporation means it contributes to first impressions, not longevity.

Role in the formula

01modifier

02blender

Available as

synthetic