Home › Glossary › Z11 Ambraketal

Z11 Ambraketal

Q: Is Z11 Ambraketal natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Fully synthetic. Produced via chemical synthesis involving epoxidation and cyclization of terpenoid precursors. Crystalline solid..

RESINS AND BALSAMS / woody · amber

Z11 Ambraketal

Category	RESINS AND BALSAMS
Subcategory	woody · amber
Origin
Volatility	Base Note
Botanical	N/A — synthetic molecule (amber oxepin)
Appearance	colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	Manufactured globally
Pyramid	Base

Dense woody amber with a dry, almost austere elegance. Amber that refuses to be sweet.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Dense, dry, and austere. Woody-amber with almost no sweetness -- like inhaling aged cedarwood in a cold stone church. Less radiant and diffusive than Ambroxan, more focused and concentrated. A tactile dryness that clings close to skin. No fruity or floral qualities, no animalic warmth -- just pure woody amber density.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Dense woody-amber dryness, no sweetness

After a few hours

Concentrated amber density, stone-like austerity

After a few days

Persistent dry woody trace, close to skin

The Full Story

Z11 Ambraketal (CAS 57345-19-4) is a synthetic ambergris-type molecule with the chemical name dodecahydro-3,8,8,11a-tetramethyl-5H-3,5a-epoxynaphth[2,1-c]oxepin. Originally developed by a Swiss fragrance house and initially sold only as part of their Fixobois base, it later became available as a standalone ingredient.

The molecule delivers an intense, tenacious, tactile dry woody note with an restrained ambery quality. It is less diffusive than Ambroxan but denser and more concentrated in character -- amber without the airiness, wood without the warmth. Its crystalline form makes it somewh at challenging to work with, but the olfactory payoff is a clean, austere elegance.

Z11 Ambraketal occupies a niche position in the perfumer's amber toolkit: too dry for traditional Amber compositions, it excels in modern minimalist woody fragrances and masculine ambers where sweetness is unwanted.

This note in Première Peau. Albâtre Sépia · Simili Mirage. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

—

Related: Amberwood · Andiroba · Bakhoor · Balsamic Notes · Benzoin Resinoid · Benzyl Benzoate · Benzyl Salicylate · Birch Tar

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Z11 was originally only available mixed into a Swiss fragrance house's proprietary Fixobois base. Perfumers who wanted to use it had to accept the entire base or nothing -- a common practice with captive molecules that kept the ingredient effectively hidden for years.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Fully synthetic. Produced via chemical synthesis involving epoxidation and cyclization of terpenoid precursors. Crystalline solid.

Molecular Formula	C18 H30 O2
CAS Number	57345-19-4
Botanical Name	N/A — synthetic molecule (amber oxepin)
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	Z11 · AMBRAKETAL · PERHYDRONAPHTHOXEPIN
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Lasting Power	> 384 hours at 100.00%
Appearance	colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Boiling Point	300.00 to 301.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash Point	252.00 °F. TCC ( 122.22 °C. )
Specific Gravity	0.86400 to 0.87400 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index	1.43600 to 1.44600 @ 20.00 °C.

In Perfumery

Z11 Ambraketal functions as a base note fixative and dry amber anch or. It is used in woody-amber, leather, and minimalist compositions where sweetness must be avoided. Less adaptable than Ambroxan but more particular -- it gives compositions a dry, structured backbone. Often combined with Iso E Super and Cetalox to build layered amber bases.