Ambrox® Super

Technical Ingredient Overview

• 🏭 Manufacturer — Firmenich

• 🔎 Chemical Name — (3aR,5aS,9aS,9bR)-3a,6,6,9a-Tetramethyldodecahydronaphtho[2,1-b]furan

• 🧪 Synonyms — Ambroxide, Ambroxan, Ambrox

• 🧬 Chemical Formula — C₁₆H₂₈O

• 📂 CAS — 6790-58-5

• 📘 FEMA — 3589

• ⚖️ MW — 236.39 g/mol

• 📝 Odor Type — Ambery

• 📈 Odor Strength — Powerful

• 👃🏼 Odor Profile — Elegant ambery with musky and woody tonalities

• ⚗️ Uses — Fine fragrances, personal care products, detergents

• 🧴 Appearance — White crystalline solid

What is Ambrox® Super?

Ambrox® Super is a powerful, biodegradable fragrance material developed by Firmenich, designed to replicate and surpass the olfactory qualities of natural ambergris. Synthesized from sclareol, a natural diterpene derived from Salvia sclarea (clary sage), this compound has become a cornerstone in modern perfumery for its intense ambery-musky character and exceptional tenacity.

Historical Background

The story of Ambrox® Super begins with Firmenich’s early 20th-century efforts to decode the mystique of ambergris. In the 1930s, Nobel laureate Leopold Ružička, alongside M. Stoll and E. Lederer, spearheaded Firmenich's research into the natural fixative, identifying Ambrox and Ambrinol as key aromatic constituents (Firmenich, 2016). By 1950, Firmenich had patented a semi-synthetic route to Ambroxide via sclareol, establishing a sustainable method of production grounded in natural raw materials.

To address fluctuations in the clary sage supply chain, the company introduced AMBROX® DL in 1988, leveraging a novel synthetic route. The next leap came in 2016, when Firmenich industrialized AMBROX® SUPER using white biotechnology—a fermentation-based platform that improved yield, reduced environmental impact, and refined the olfactory profile (Firmenich, 2016).

Olfactory Profile

Scent Family: Ambery

Descriptors: Ambery, woody, musky

Volatility: Low

Tenacity: Extremely long-lasting

Impact: Strong

Applications in Fine Fragrance:

Ambrox® Super delivers radiance, depth, and diffusion. Its velvety ambery core supports a wide range of fragrance types—especially in woody, oriental, and modern ambergris-style accords. It is often employed at base note levels to confer warmth and longevity, pairing particularly well with Iso E Super, Cashmeran, musks, and woody synthetics.

Performance in Formula:

Ambrox® Super demonstrates excellent substantivity on skin and textiles. It acts both as a fixative and a radiating heart note, helping to elevate and round out blends. Its low volatility ensures extended performance over time, making it an industry-standard base material in both niche and mass-market perfumery.

Industrial & Technical Uses

Ambrox® Super is used beyond fine fragrance, including in personal care formulations (shampoos, body washes, lotions) and fabric care products (detergents, fabric softeners) where its stability, diffusion, and high substantivity allow for long-lasting scent deposition.

Regulatory & Safety Overview

According to the IFRA 51st Amendment, Ambrox® Super is listed without restriction across all fragrance application categories, indicating a highly favorable toxicological and allergenic profile (Firmenich, 2022). It is not classified as a known allergen under EU Cosmetics Regulation and is REACH-registered and FEMA-approved (FEMA 3589). As of current data, it does not present significant dermal sensitization risks when used at typical concentrations.

References

Firmenich. (2016). Sharing Innovation in Perfumery: Ambrox Story. Retrieved from https://www.firmenich.com/sites/default/files/2020-10/Sharing-innovation-perfumery-2016.pdf

Firmenich. (2022). IFRA Certificate of Conformity: Ambrox Super. Retrieved from https://perfumersupplyhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/909158_AMBROX®-SUPER-IFRA51.pdf

Fragrantica. (2022). Ambergris, Ambrox and Ambroxan of the Year. Retrieved from https://www.fragrantica.com/news/Ambergris-Ambrox-and-Ambroxan-of-the-Year-17307.html

PubChem. (2024). Ambroxide (CID: 10617). Retrieved from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/10617