Ambrettolide

Ambrettolide is part of the Macrocyclic musks and is one of the finest available, this is the molecule that gives Ambrette seeds their muskiness. An extremely fine macrocyclic musk of great diffusion and power, this a close analog of the musk that occurs naturally in Ambrette seed oil (though despite many claims, not identical with that musk) and one of the most effective. In traces, it will enhance other ingredients and is especially effective used in combination with Exaltolide and Ethylene brassylate. Classic musk note with a subtle fruity back note often likened to red-berries. Almost everyone sells this musk as Ambrettolide (usually manufactured by IFF, Givaudan, or Symrise, though other manufacturers also make it) but it is more correctly called iso-Ambrettolide.  The musk found in Ambrette seeds is slightly different and has the CAS number 7779-50-2  ( 17-oxacycloheptadec-6-en-1-one ) though to add to the confusion that is also often, incorrectly, applied to this musk by sellers who don’t appreciate the difference.

• 📂 CAS N° 28645-51-4

• ⚖️ MW — 252.39 g/mol

• 📝 Odor Type — Musk

• 📈 Odor Strength — Medium

• 👃🏼 Odor Profile — Ambrettolide has a deep powdery, ambrette like musky note. A little bit earthy in a way, fruity peach, pear, rosy, litchi.

• 👅 Flavor Profile — some people would say it taste soapy. But I'd go for musky red fruit like.

• ⚗️ Uses — Has a terrific fixative and radiant effect and also works to enhance other musks that are used with it. It is slightly fruity, very smooth and exalting. if used in a big amount in an oriental-like composition it leaves a fruity pear trace really evident. Ambretolide is perfect with white fruits. And is a good combination with floral-fruity or white florals. Not good with deep flowers like Jasmin.

In a conversation with an analyst at Mane we stated:

The first structure is true Ambrettolide, which is found in the Ambrette seed after the Farnesyl acetates and Farnesol. True Ambrettolide is named (Z)-hexadec-7-en-16-olide or also 8Z-oxacycloheptadec-8-en-2-one. Numbered 7-... with carbonyl counted in 1; Numbered 8-... with ring oxygene counted in 1; Even Numbered 6-... if carbone in position alpha of the lactone is counted in 1. All positions of the double bound elsewhere in the macrocycle are "Iso" Ambrettolide.

It is one of the finest fixatives among the distinguished group of those showing a synergistic and amplifying effect upon perfumes and flavors. At the same time, it increases the diffusiveness of fragrances in which it is incorporated. Its fixative effect is easily recognized by the fact that solutions of 0.01% Ambrettolide (or even less) in slightly diluted alcohol show practically no odor of alcohol, only a faint, floral-musky, sweet and pleasant odor of the lactone. A. is particularly useful in fragrance types of delicately floral, mildly animal, or Ambre-like type. — Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, S. Arctander (1961)

Ambrettolide, although one of the most expensive of the synthetic musks, when used in trace amounts has a wonderful effect in ‘rounding off’ the character of a perfume, working as much in the top note as in the base.

— R. Calkin & Jellinek

Sources and informations

1. Mane

2. Perfume and flavor chemicals, S. Arctander, Denmark 1969

3. National Center for Biotechnology Information (2020). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 5365703, Ambrettolide. Retrieved November 25, 2020 from **https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Ambrettolide**.