In short
Isoamyl salicylate is a salicylate ester with a herbal, orchid-like floral odour. It is closely related to amyl salicylate and used in the same clover, orchid and fougère effects.
What Isoamyl Salicylate smells like
Isoamyl salicylate is a sweet, floral-herbal salicylate with an orchid-like character. Suppliers describe an orchid-like floralcy with balsamic warmth, and list sweet, orchid, slightly balsamic, herbal, floral and subtle green notes. It is the more floral of the two amyl esters.
- Leading note
- Sweet orchid-like floral
- Supporting facets
- Herbal, balsamic
- Faint facets
- Green
- Character
- Sweet, soft, floral, tenacious
What makes Isoamyl Salicylate distinctive
The orchid. It shares amyl salicylate's herbal sweetness but leans floral and balsamic where the n-amyl ester leans clover.
How Isoamyl Salicylate is used
Used in orchid, floral and fougère compositions and in soap and functional fragrance.
Typical role: blender (smooths the joins between other materials).
How Isoamyl Salicylate differs from similar materials
- Amyl Salicylate
- Suppliers describe amyl salicylate as greener and more herbaceous, like clover; the isoamyl ester is more orchid-like and balsamic. (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.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Floral / Aromatic
- Note position
- Heart to base note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- Isopentyl salicylate
- CAS number
- 87-20-7
- Molecular formula
- C12H16O3
- Molecular weight
- 208.25 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- 3-methylbutyl 2-hydroxybenzoate
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 6874, 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 (711 reports): H411 toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (99.7% of reports); H302 harmful if swallowed (26.2% of reports). 1 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
-
Amyl Salicylate
Aroma chemical · Floral / Green — herbal, clover, floral, sweet
-
Hexyl Salicylate
Aroma chemical · Floral / Green — green, floral, herbal
-
Coumarin
Aroma chemical · Powdery / Fougère — hay, sweet, almond, tobacco
-
Lavender Oil
Essential oil · Aromatic / Floral — lavender, herbal, floral, fresh
Isoamyl Salicylate is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Amyl Benzoate.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 2 published formulas
Isoamyl Salicylate is an ingredient in 1 perfume formula and 1 accord in the Formula & Accord Library.
Further reading
Questions about Isoamyl Salicylate
Is Isoamyl Salicylate natural or synthetic?
Isoamyl Salicylate is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of Isoamyl Salicylate?
87-20-7. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Isoamyl Salicylate?
Isoamyl Salicylate is used in 2 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library: Banana Bread and Cherry Blossom Accord. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 6874, 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 — isoamyl salicylate — odour database.
- Fraterworks — isoamyl salicylate — distributor's description.
- Scent.vn — Isoamyl salicylate — 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.