In short
Dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate (DMBCA) is a synthetic ester with a fruity, floral, pear-like character. It is a soft, persistent fruity-floral blender.
What Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Acetate smells like
Dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate (DMBCA) is mainly a green floral with fruity facets. Arctander, as cited by Scent.vn, describes a green floral, slightly fatty scent reminiscent of the leafy character of lily of the valley; Scentspiracy a sweet, floral-fruity aroma with jasmine, rose and pear facets and a woody, powdery drydown; Parchem sweet, floral, fruity with rose, green, pear, berry and jasmine. PerfumersWorld adds peach, plum and cherry. Moellhausen gives simply fresh, aromatic, green.
- Leading note
- Green floral
- Supporting facets
- Pear, plum, jasmine, rose, lily of the valley
- Faint facets
- Fatty
- Character
- Fresh, green, soft, fruity
What makes Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Acetate distinctive
A floral with fruit inside it: green lily-of-the-valley freshness with pear and plum, softer than the fruity esters and fruitier than the carbinol it comes from.
Where the descriptions disagree: Sources differ on how fruity it is; Arctander and Moellhausen describe it as green and floral, others add pear, plum and berry.
How Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Acetate is used
Used in floral compositions — jasmine, rose, muguet, hyacinth — and fruity florals.
Typical role: blender (smooths the joins between other materials).
How Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Acetate differs from similar materials
- Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinol
- The carbinol is a softer floral-green, lily and hyacinth; the acetate adds pear, plum and a slight fattiness.
- Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Butyrate
- Fraterworks finds the butyrate ester (DMBCB) deeper and softer than this acetate, with a lush, rounded, plum-like edge. (compared directly by a cited source)
An asterisk marks a difference that a cited source states directly. The others compare the published descriptions of each material. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.
Formulation considerations
Stable and easy to use.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Fruity / Floral
- Note position
- Heart note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- DMBCA
- CAS number
- 151-05-3
- Molecular formula
- C12H16O2
- Molecular weight
- 192.25 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- (2-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-yl) acetate
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 9024, whose own record lists this CAS number; checked 19 October 2026.
Safety and compliance
Hazard classification of the neat substance, as PubChem summarises it, read 26 October 2026. Companies notifying the ECHA C&L Inventory classify it (1,971 reports): H412 harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects (29.4% of reports). 1,348 of the reports find it does not meet the hazard criteria. Unless it is harmonised, this is the notifiers' own classification, not a binding one.
This page is general information, not a safety assessment or a specification. Confirm identity, composition, IFRA status and allergen content from your supplier's documents for the lot you hold.
Materials it works with
-
Benzyl Acetate
Aroma chemical · Floral / Fruity — jasmine, fruity, pear, sweet
-
gamma-Undecalactone (Aldehyde C-14)
Aroma chemical · Fruity / Gourmand — peach, apricot, creamy, fruity
-
Hedione
Aroma chemical · Floral / Citrus — jasmine, transparent, citrus, airy
Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Acetate is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinol and Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Butyrate.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 5 published formulas
Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Acetate is an ingredient in 1 perfume formula and 4 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Acetate
Is Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Acetate natural or synthetic?
Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Acetate is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Acetate?
151-05-3. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Acetate?
Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinyl Acetate is used in 5 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Açaí Accord, Gardenia Accord and Honeyed Rose Accord. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 9024, checked 19 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- Scent.vn — Dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate (citing Arctander) — distributor's description.
- Scentspiracy — Dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate — distributor's description.
- Parchem — dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate specification — distributor's description.
- The Good Scents Company — dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate — odour database.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 20 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.