Ambrox® Super

AMBROX® SUPER: A High-Performance Ambergris Substitute

• 🏭 Manufacturer — Firmenich

• 🔎 Chemical name — Naphtho[2,1-b]furan, dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethyl-, [3aR-]

• 📂 CAS N° — 6790-58-5

• ⚖️ MW — 236

• 📝 Odor type — Ambery

• 📈 Odor Strength — Extreme. More than a month on smelling strip.

• 👃🏼 Odor Profile — Ambrox Super smell is clearly ambery. It's close to a mixture of iso e super and ambrox DL. Woody, pine, cedar-like with a green seedy and tea-like nuance. Labdanum notes.

• ⚗️ Uses —Ambrox Super is a highly powerful, highly substantive, and highly stable ambery note for use in all applications. The most suitable material for obtaining an authentic ambergris note. Small amounts (< 0.01 ppm) are used as a flavoring in food.

Historical Background

AMBROX®, originally developed by Firmenich in the 1950s, was designed to replicate the scent of natural ambergris. In 2016, Firmenich introduced AMBROX® SUPER, an advanced version created using white biotechnology, ensuring a sustainable and high-quality production process (Firmenich, 2016).

Olfactory Profile

AMBROX® SUPER is a powerful, elegant amber note with musky and woody undertones. Compared to CETALOX®, it provides a more natural and animalic quality, closer to genuine ambergris (Firmenich, n.d.).

Applications in Perfumery and Other Industries

Widely used in perfumery, AMBROX® SUPER enhances fragrance diffusion and longevity, providing a signature amber character. It is incorporated into:

• Fine fragrances

• Shampoos

• Shower gels

• Soaps

• Detergents

• Fabric softeners

• Candles

It ensures a lasting scent presence, with remarkable persistence exceeding one month on blotters (Firmenich, 2016).

Usage in Fragrance Formulation

AMBROX® SUPER is highly versatile and can be used at various concentrations:

• Fine fragrances: traces up to 5%

• Shampoos: traces up to 0.5%

• Shower gels: traces up to 0.5%

• Soaps: traces up to 0.1%

• Detergents: traces up to 0.5%

• Fabric softeners: traces up to 0.5%

• Candles: traces up to 0.1%

Chemical Properties

• IUPAC Name: Naphtho[2,1-b]furan, dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethyl-, [3aR-]

• CAS Number: 6790-58-5

• Molecular Weight: 236

• Flash Point: >100°C

• Vapor Pressure: 0.06 Pa at 20°C

• Log P: 7.13

It appears as a crystalline powder and is biodegradable (50-70%), with 100% renewable carbon content (Firmenich, n.d.).

Safety and Regulatory Guidelines

AMBROX® SUPER is Kosher and Halal certified, GMO-free, and produced without solvents or stabilizers, ensuring compliance with industry standards (Firmenich, n.d.).

Environmental Impact

The innovative biotechnological production method significantly reduces the environmental impact compared to traditional synthetic processes, making AMBROX® SUPER a more sustainable alternative (Firmenich, 2016).

Conclusion

AMBROX® SUPER is a fundamental molecule in modern perfumery, offering an unmatched ambergris character, excellent stability, and sustainability. It is an essential ingredient for high-quality fragrance compositions.

References

• Firmenich. (2016). Sharing Innovation in Perfumery. Retrieved from firmenich.com

• Firmenich. (n.d.). AMBROX® SUPER. Retrieved from firmenich.com