What is Benzyl alcohol CAS 100-51-6?
Benzyl alcohol CAS 100-51-6, also known as phenylmethanol, is an aromatic primary alcohol consisting of a benzene ring bearing a single hydroxymethyl substituent. It appears as a clear, colorless, oily liquid with a mild, pleasant, floral-balsamic odor and a slightly pungent, sweet taste.
Due to its low polarity, low toxicity, and excellent solvency, Benzyl alcohol is widely utilized as an organic solvent, fragrance ingredient, preservative, and chemical intermediate. It serves as a foundational building block for preparing numerous benzyl esters used in perfumery, flavorings, and specialized industrial formulations.
Specifications
| Property |
Value |
| Appearance |
Clear colorless oily liquid |
| Melting Point |
-15 °C |
| Boiling Point |
205 °C |
| Density |
1.045 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.) |
| Refractive Index |
n20/D 1.539 (lit.) |
| Flash Point |
201 °F |
| Water Solubility |
4.29 g/100 mL at 20 °C (33 mg/mL clear) |
| Storage Conditions |
Store at +2 °C to +25 °C in an airtight container protected from light |
Features
- Aromatic Alcohol Structure: Combines a stable phenyl ring with a reactive hydroxyl group, making it ideal for esterification and chemical synthesis.
- Solvent Versatility: Acts as an effective solvent for cellulose esters, ethers, epoxy resins, fats, and various synthetic dyestuffs.
- Antimicrobial Preservation: Functions as an effective antimicrobial preservative in pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations at concentrations up to 3% v/v.
- Sensory Profile: Features a pleasant floral-rose-balsamic aroma utilized extensively in fragrance and flavor formulations.
Applications
- Cosmetic Industry: Used as a fragrance component, preservative, solvent, and viscosity-decreasing agent in skin care, hair care, and color cosmetics.
- Pharmaceutical Industry: Employed as an antimicrobial preservative, local anesthetic agent, and solubilizer in topical and parenteral preparations.
- Chemical Synthesis: Serves as a primary precursor and building block for producing benzyl esters, flavorings, and plasticizers.
- Coatings & Resins: Applied as a solvent for surface-coating materials, epoxy resin coatings, inks, and paints to improve flow and gloss.
- Textile Industry: Utilized as an auxiliary dyeing agent in the processing of wool, polyamides, and polyesters.
Packaging
Mikem offers flexible packaging options, including 25 kg of fiber drums for liquid products and 15–25 kg PP/PE bags for powder products, all customizable to meet your specific needs.
