Chemical Properties
Clear colorless liquid
Chemical Properties
Propyl butyrate has a pineapple and apricot-like odor with a sweet, fruity flavor of banana and pineapple. The odor is
also described as sharp, pungent, rancid, sweaty and sickening.
Occurrence
Reported found in fresh apple, cooked apple, apricot, banana, lemon papaya, Camembert cheese, Gruyere de
Comte cheese, provolone cheese, purple passion fruit juice, apple juice, rum, fresh plums, jack fruit, ceriman or pinanona (Monstera
deliciosa Liebm.), papaya, spineless monkey orange, starfruit, kiwifruit, wood apple and cherimoya.
Uses
Solvent mixture for cellulose ethers.
Definition
ChEBI: Propyl butyrate is a butyrate ester resulting from the formal condensation of the hydroxy group of propanol with the carboxy group of butyric acid. It has a role as a human metabolite, a plant metabolite and an insect attractant. It is functionally related to a propan-1-ol.
Preparation
From propyl alcohol and butyric acid in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid in benzene solution at the boil.
Aroma threshold values
Detection: 0.8 to 124 ppb
Taste threshold values
Taste characteristics at 20 ppm: sweet, fruity, tutti-frutti, bubble gum and pineapple-like, with a slight green
nuance.
Synthesis Reference(s)
The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 58, p. 6421, 1993
DOI: 10.1021/jo00075a043
General Description
Natural Occurrence: Apple, banana, kiwi, melon, papaya, passion fruit, rum and strawberry.
Hazard
Irritant to mucous membranes, narcotic in
high concentration.
Biochem/physiol Actions
Taste at 20 ppm
