In short
Hexyl 2-methylbutyrate is a fruity ester with a fresh green-apple and strawberry-skin odour. It is an important natural constituent of apple aroma.
What Hexyl 2-Methylbutyrate smells like
Hexyl 2-methylbutyrate has a strong, green, fruity odour and a sweet, fruity taste reminiscent of unripe strawberry. A specification lists green, waxy, fruity, apple, banana and woody with a tropical, spicy nuance; at 20 ppm its taste is green, waxy, unripe fruity, apple and banana with a fresh, fleshy nuance. It occurs in apple, apricot, cherry, grape, strawberry, nectarine and banana.
- Leading note
- Green apple
- Clear facets
- Waxy
- Supporting facets
- Unripe strawberry, banana
- Faint facets
- Woody, spicy-tropical
- Character
- Green, waxy, natural, unripe
What makes Hexyl 2-Methylbutyrate distinctive
Unripe fruit: green apple with the skin of an underripe strawberry and a woody, spicy edge — more natural and less candy-like than the simple esters.
How Hexyl 2-Methylbutyrate is used
Used for natural, green apple and strawberry effects in fruity compositions and flavours.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Hexyl 2-Methylbutyrate differs from similar materials
- Hexyl Butyrate
- Hexyl butyrate is plainer green apple, waxy and soapy; the 2-methylbutyrate adds banana, unripe strawberry and a woody, spicy nuance.
- Ethyl 2-Methylbutyrate
- The ethyl ester is brighter and juicier apple; the hexyl ester is waxier, greener and more unripe.
Each difference compares the published descriptions of the two materials. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Occurs in nature
- Odour family
- Fruity / Green
- Note position
- Top note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- Hexyl 2-methylbutanoate
- CAS number
- 10032-15-2
- Molecular formula
- C11H22O2
- Molecular weight
- 186.29 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- hexyl 2-methylbutanoate
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 24838, 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 (162 reports): H411 toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (24.1% of reports); H226 flammable liquid and vapor (14.8% of reports). 97 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
-
Hexyl Acetate
Aroma chemical · Fruity / Green — pear, apple, fruity, green
-
Hexyl Butyrate
Aroma chemical · Fruity / Green — fruity, green apple, fresh, waxy
-
Ethyl 2-Methylbutyrate
Aroma chemical · Fruity / Green — apple, fruity, juicy, green
-
Manzanate
Aroma chemical · Fruity / Green — apple, fruity, fresh
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 1 published formula
Hexyl 2-Methylbutyrate is an ingredient in 1 perfume formula in the Formula & Accord Library.
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Hexyl 2-Methylbutyrate
Is Hexyl 2-Methylbutyrate natural or synthetic?
The molecule occurs in nature. Commercial Hexyl 2-Methylbutyrate may be made by synthesis or obtained from natural sources, so check the supplier's specification if the distinction matters to you.
What is the CAS number of Hexyl 2-Methylbutyrate?
10032-15-2. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Hexyl 2-Methylbutyrate?
Hexyl 2-Methylbutyrate is used in 1 published formula in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library: Blackcurrant Signal. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 24838, checked 19 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- The Good Scents Company — hexyl 2-methylbutyrate — odour database.
- ChemicalBook — hexyl 2-methylbutyrate (CAS 10032-15-2) — odour database.
- Parchem — hexyl 2-methyl butyrate — distributor's description.
- 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.