In short
Isopropyl 2-methylbutyrate is a fruity ester with a green, tropical character and a pineapple nuance. It is used for green-fruity freshness.
What Isopropyl 2-Methylbutyrate smells like
ChemicalBook describes isopropyl 2-methylbutyrate as fruity, green and tropical with a pineapple nuance. The Good Scents Company lists fruity, green, ethereal, tutti-frutti and coconut, and cites Givaudan for pear, pineapple and green-fresh notes in green-fruity accords. Moellhausen describes a fresh fruity odour with strawberry connotations.
- Leading note
- Fruity
- Clear facets
- Green
- Supporting facets
- Pineapple, pear
- Character
- Ethereal, fresh
What makes Isopropyl 2-Methylbutyrate distinctive
A greener, more tropical relative of the 2-methylbutyrate apple esters.
Where the descriptions disagree: Suppliers stress different fruits: pineapple and pear (Givaudan), strawberry (Moellhausen).
How Isopropyl 2-Methylbutyrate is used
The Good Scents Company cites Givaudan for its pear, pineapple and green-fresh notes in green-fruity accords.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend); lift (adds diffusion and radiance, especially at the top).
How Isopropyl 2-Methylbutyrate differs from similar materials
- Ethyl 2-Methylbutyrate
- Ethyl 2-methylbutyrate is the sweet green-apple ester; the isopropyl ester is greener and more tropical, with pineapple and pear.
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
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Fruity / Green
- Note position
- Top note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- Isopropyl 2-methylbutanoate
- CAS number
- 66576-71-4
- Molecular formula
- C8H16O2
- Molecular weight
- 144.21 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- propan-2-yl 2-methylbutanoate
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 522214, whose own record lists this CAS number; checked 24 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 report it as not meeting the GHS hazard criteria (0 of 1,700 reports). 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
-
Ethyl 2-Methylbutyrate
Aroma chemical · Fruity / Green — apple, fruity, juicy, green
-
Hexyl Acetate
Aroma chemical · Fruity / Green — pear, apple, fruity, green
-
Allyl Caproate
Aroma chemical · Fruity / Green — pineapple, fruity, sweet
Isopropyl 2-Methylbutyrate is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Guavanate.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 3 published formulas
Isopropyl 2-Methylbutyrate is an ingredient in 3 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.
Further reading
Questions about Isopropyl 2-Methylbutyrate
Is Isopropyl 2-Methylbutyrate natural or synthetic?
Isopropyl 2-Methylbutyrate is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of Isopropyl 2-Methylbutyrate?
66576-71-4. It was checked against PubChem on 24 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Isopropyl 2-Methylbutyrate?
Isopropyl 2-Methylbutyrate is used in 3 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library: Açaí Accord, Blackberry Accord and Pineapple Accord. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 522214, checked 24 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- ChemicalBook — 66576-71-4 — odour database.
- The Good Scents Company — isopropyl 2-methyl butyrate — odour database.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 26 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.