Ambroxid Crist

Synthetic Ingredient overview

• 🔎 Chemical name — Ambroxide

• 🧪 Synonyms — Ambroxide Crystals, Ambroxan, Ambrox, Orcanox

• 🧬 Chemical Formula — C₁₆H₂₈O

• 📂 CAS N° — 6790-58-5

• 📘 FEMA — Not applicable (not food grade)

• ⚖️ MW — 236.39 g/mol

• 📝 Odor type — Ambery

• 📈 Odor Strength — High (recommended in ≤10% DPG solution)

• 👃🏼 Odor Profile — Ambery, woody, piney, cedar-like with tea-like, green-seedy nuances and labdanum facets

• ⚗️ Uses — Long-lasting fixative and base note material for amber, wood, leather, and oriental compositions; suitable for solid or anhydrous formats

• 🧴 Appearance — White crystalline solid or flakes (depends on purification)

• ⚠️ Not Food Grade

What is Ambroxide Crystals?

Ambroxide Crystals are the crystalline solid form of ambroxide, a synthetic ambergris material derived from sclareol, a diterpene present in clary sage oil (Salvia sclarea). Though chemically identical to Ambroxan®, the crystalline format enables better dosing precision, especially in fine fragrance concentrates, solid perfumes, or wax-based applications.

Its IUPAC name is 3a,6,6,9a-Tetramethyldodecahydronaphtho[2,1-b]furan, and it belongs to the oxygenated labdane-type diterpenoids. This class of molecules is notable for high substantivity, low volatility, and ambergris-like diffusion.

Ambroxide was first synthesized in the 1950s following oxidative degradation and reduction of sclareol. It became a key innovation in synthetic perfumery, replacing the scarce and ethically problematic natural ambergris.

Olfactory Profile and Perfumery Applications

Ambroxide Crystals deliver a clear, dry ambery odor with excellent fixation and diffusion. Compared to diluted ambroxide variants, the crystalline form offers maximum concentration, suitable for perfumers requiring precise control over formulation strength.

Typical descriptors include:

• Ambery – deep, warm, with labdanum-like sweetness

• Woody – cedar and pine-like tones

• Green – subtle seedy and tea-like nuances

• Dry musk – clean, skin-like finish with tobacco and leather hints

It is widely used in:

• Ambery bases for modern fine fragrances

• Oriental and woody accords

• Leather and tobacco structures

• Functional fragrances requiring long-lasting base effects

Usage levels typically range from trace (0.01%) to 2% or more, depending on the intended olfactory impact.

Industrial and Technical Use

While not food-grade, Ambroxide is structurally recognized under FEMA 3471 in other contexts. Crystalline ambroxide is particularly valued in:

• Solid perfumery formats (sticks, balms, waxes)

• Polymeric fragrance applications (e.g., scented beads, capsules)

• Research and development as a purity benchmark in ambergris-like molecule studies

It is naturally found in trace amounts in:

• Tobacco absolute (Nicotiana tabacum)

• Clary sage (Salvia sclarea)

• Cistus labdanum

• Cypress oils (Cupressus sempervirens)

Regulatory and Safety Overview

• IFRA Restrictions — None currently applicable

• EU Cosmetic Regulation — Not listed under Annex III (allergens)

• REACH Registered — EC No. 229-861-2

• FEMA — CAS listed under FEMA 3471, but not approved for flavor use in crystalline form

• Toxicology — Stable, non-sensitizing at recommended concentrations

• Formulation Guidance — Best used diluted in DPG or as part of a pre-dosed base

Related Ambery Ingredients

Ambroxide Crystals share their molecular identity with other ambergris-type materials, yet differ by format, purity, and sourcing route:

• Ambrofix® (Givaudan) — a fully bio-based ambroxide derived from sugarcane via biotechnology; liquid form

• Ambrox® Super (Firmenich) — a smoother, more transparent variant designed for soft diffusion and modern amber notes

While all are ambroxide-based, Ambroxide Crystals by Symrise are specifically offered in solid crystalline form, enabling targeted use in concentrated bases and structurally rigid perfume matrices.

Sources:

• National Center for Biotechnology Information – PubChem CID 10857465

• ECHA Substance Information – Ambroxide / EC No. 229-861-2

• Firmenich R&D History – Ambroxide synthesis from sclareol (1950–1988)

• Givaudan Technical Briefs – Biotechnological synthesis of Ambrofix®

• Henkel & KAO Trademark Records – Ambroxan® filings (1982, 2004)

• CheBI Database – Ambroxide structural classification

• Schäfer, B. – Chemie in unserer Zeit (2011)

• G. Ohloff – The Fragrance of Ambergris in Theimer, E.T., Fragrance Chemistry, Academic Press

• Wikipedia (EN/DE) – Ambroxide synthesis, derivatives, natural sources