Vanillyl Butyl Ether
Vanillyl butyl ether is the n-butyl ether of vanillyl alcohol, 4-butoxymethyl-2-methoxyphenol, a synthetic sensate that produces a mild, slowly building warming sensation on skin and mucous membrane.
It is a colourless to pale yellow low melting solid or viscous liquid, close to its melting point at ambient temperature, with a faint vanilla like odour inherited from its guaiacol structure. The compound is practically insoluble in water and dissolves readily in ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerine and vegetable oils, so it is incorporated through the solvent or oil phase of a formulation rather than added directly to water. It is stable to heat and to the pH range encountered in most personal care and oral care products, and it does not volatilise much during normal processing.
Its effect comes from activation of the warmth sensitive receptors in the skin and oral tissue rather than from any actual temperature change, giving a warming impression that develops over a minute or two and persists for some time, much slower in onset and gentler than capsaicin at comparable perceived intensity.
We source bulk Vanillyl Butyl Ether from top China manufacturers for our partners. The manufacturer is in Shandong. A smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.
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- Function
- Flavours and Aromas
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Colourless to pale yellow low melting solid or viscous liquid |
| Odour | Faint characteristic vanilla like odour |
| Identification | Conforms by infrared spectrum and gas chromatography retention time |
| Assay by gas chromatography | Not less than 98.0% |
| Melting range | 28 to 34 degrees Celsius |
| Vanillyl alcohol | Not more than 0.5% |
| Residual n-butanol | Not more than 0.1% |
| Water content | Not more than 0.5% |
| Residue on ignition | Not more than 0.1% |
| Heavy metals as lead | Not more than 10 mg/kg |
| Lead | Not more than 1.0 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | Not more than 1.0 mg/kg |
| Solubility | Practically insoluble in water, soluble in ethanol and propylene glycol |
Common Markets Grades
The material is traded essentially as one purity specification, a cosmetic and personal care grade assaying not less than ninety eight percent by gas chromatography, with residual vanillyl alcohol, n-butanol and dibutyl ether controlled as the principal process related impurities. Purities of ninety nine percent and above are offered where a colourless finished formulation is required, since traces of oxidised phenolic material are the main cause of colour drift.
Because the neat compound is a low melting solid that has to be warmed before dosing, a substantial share of the trade is in pre-made solutions. Dilutions at ten to fifty percent in propylene glycol, glycerine, triacetin or a medium chain triglyceride are common, as are blends with other sensates such as cooling agents or with capsicum extracts where a combined warm and tingle profile is wanted. Encapsulated and spray dried versions on a carbohydrate carrier exist for dry systems.
Applications
- Warming massage oils, balms and gels, where it supplies the heat impression without the sting of capsicum
- Muscle and joint rub formulations, often paired with menthol so that a cooling top note precedes the warmth
- Lip plumping cosmetics, in which local vasodilation and warming produce the visible effect
- Slimming and body contouring creams, where a warming claim supports the product concept
- Scalp and hair treatments marketed on a stimulating sensation during the wash
- Oral care products such as toothpaste and mouthwash, adding a warm counterpoint to the cooling of menthol
- Chewing gum and confectionery in markets where its use in food is permitted, contributing a warming trigeminal effect
- Foot care creams and warming socks and patches
- Intimate care and personal lubricant formulations sold on a warming sensation
China Manufacturers of Vanillyl Butyl Ether
Top Vanillyl Butyl Ether manufacturers in China.
Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.
Regulatory Status
Vanillyl butyl ether is used principally as a cosmetic and personal care ingredient. In the United States it is a cosmetic ingredient rather than a food additive, listed in the international cosmetic ingredient dictionary under the name vanillyl butyl ether, and cosmetic use is governed by the general safety and labelling requirements for cosmetics rather than by a premarket clearance. It has not been cleared under a food additive regulation in the United States, so it should not be assumed to be permitted in food there without confirming its current status.
In the European Union the compound appears in the cosmetic ingredient inventory and is used in cosmetic products under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, with no restriction entry in the annexes for its general use. It carries no E number and is not an authorised food additive under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, and it is not part of the Union list of flavouring substances, so food and oral care applications have to be assessed against the rules of each market individually. Where it is used in oral care and chewing gum in Asian markets, that use rests on national approvals rather than on a Codex or JECFA evaluation, and no JECFA specification has been established for it.
Manufacturing Process
The route begins with vanillin, which is reduced to vanillyl alcohol. Reduction is carried out either by catalytic hydrogenation of the aldehyde over a supported metal catalyst under moderate hydrogen pressure, or by treatment with sodium borohydride in an aqueous alkaline medium at low temperature, the choice depending on the scale and on the catalyst infrastructure available. The crude vanillyl alcohol is recovered by crystallisation or by extraction into an organic solvent after neutralisation.
Vanillyl alcohol is then etherified with an excess of n-butanol over an acid catalyst, typically a mineral acid or an acidic ion exchange resin, at elevated temperature with the water of reaction removed continuously to drive the equilibrium towards the ether. The phenolic hydroxyl is far less reactive than the benzylic hydroxyl under these conditions, so the reaction is selective for the benzylic position without protection. After the reaction the catalyst is neutralised or filtered off, excess butanol is recovered by distillation and recycled, and the crude ether is washed to remove salts and residual acid. Final purification is by vacuum distillation, followed by decolourisation, filtration and packing into lined drums under nitrogen.
