Ebanol (Matsunol)

Technical Ingredient Overview

• 🏭 Manufacturers — Givaudan; DSM‑Firmenich (Matsunol™)

• 🔎 Chemical Name — 3‑Methyl‑5‑(2,2,3‑trimethyl‑3‑cyclopenten‑1‑yl)‑4‑penten‑2‑ol

• 🧪 Synonyms — Ebanol®, Matsunol, Mohanol, Sandal Pentenol, (E/Z)-diastereomeric mixture

• 🧬 Chemical Formula — C₁₄H₂₄O

• 📂 CAS — 67801‑20‑1

• 📘 FEMA — 4775

• ⚖️ MW — 208.34 g mol

• 📝 Odor Type — Woody sandalwood, musky

• 📈 Odor Strength — High

• 👃🏼 Odor Profile — Rich, creamy sandalwood with ambery–musky facets; subtly lactonic and nutty in the dry‑down

• ⚗️ Uses — Fine fragrance bases, functional products (soap, shampoo), candles; powerful sandalwood replacer and fixative

• 🧴 Appearance — Colourless to pale‑yellow viscous liquid

What is Ebanol?

Ebanol® is a synthetic sandalwood odorant (also marketed by DSM‑Firmenich as Matsunol™). It is a high‑impact synthetic sandalwood odorant belonging to the trisubstituted cyclopentenol class developed by Givaudan to replace scarce Santalum album oil. The commercial material is an (E/Z) mixture of four diastereoisomers possessing a chiral quaternary centre and an α,β‑unsaturated alcohol functionality, conferring outstanding tenacity and substantivity even at trace levels (odor threshold ≈ 0.21 ng L⁻¹ air).

Historical Background

The quest for sustainable sandalwood substitutes intensified after the Indian government’s 1977 export ban on Santalum album oil (Government of India, 1977). Early milestones were Sandalore® (1976; EP 045453) and Polysantol® (1981; EP 115274). Building on α‑campholenic aldehyde chemistry, Pesaro & Helmlinger (Givaudan) filed EP 116 277 (priority 13 Jan 1983) covering the synthesis and stereochemical optimisation of Ebanol®; industrial launch followed in 1986. Its exceptional odor value (>2 × 10⁵) and cost‑efficiency cemented its use throughout the 1990s, preceding ultra‑potent Javanol® (2000).

Olfactory Profile

Scent family & descriptors – Woody sandalwood; creamy, musky, slightly milky, warm (Good Scents, 2025).

Intensity & tenacity – Medium initial impact but very high lasting power (≈ 400 h on blotter; three-week persistence recorded by Givaudan).

Volatility & fixative role – Low vapor pressure (0.0013 hPa @ 20 °C) combined with log P ≈ 4.9 classifies Ebanol as a base-note modifier and fixative.

Applications in Fine Fragrance

Accord construction. 0.3–1.0 % w/w lends creamy sandal backbone in floral‑woody (e.g., Santal 33‑inspired) and oriental bases. It pairs synergistically with Javanol for boost and with musk ketones for volume.

• Bridges creamy sandalwood accords with modern musks and amber bases.

• Harmonises well with other sandalwood molecules such as [[Javanol]], [[Polysantol]] and [[Sandalore]], extending woody volume while avoiding lactonic heaviness.

• Typical inclusion levels: 0.5 % (subtle volume) to 3 % (signature sandalwood core). Proprietary formulations preclude public brand disclosure; however, Ebanol is widely cited in woody-oriental masculine and gourmand feminines of the 1990s-2020s. Where specific fragrance attributions are available from patents or IFRA transparency filings, they remain confidential.

Notable uses. Dior Fahrenheit reformulations (post‑2000) employ Ebanol to reinforce woody core; Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb leverages it for long‑lasting silkiness.

Performance in Formula

• Diffusion – pronounced bloom in soaps and shampoos (5/5, Givaudan test) and excellent burning performance in candles.

• Fixative strength – supports volatile florals (e.g., [[cis-Jasmone]]) and enhances lactonic gourmand notes.

• Compatibility – stable from pH 2–11, tolerant of bleach and high-temperature candle wax; immiscible with water but readily soluble in ethanol and DPG.

Industrial & Technical Uses

Beyond fine perfumery, Ebanol is valued in:

Regulatory & Safety Overview

Additional Information

• Isomerism – Commercial material contains ~50 % trans-(E) and 45 % cis-(Z) isomers plus minor structural isomers; olfactory contribution stems mainly from the (E)-diastereomer.

• Sustainability – Readily biodegradable and >50 % renewable-carbon origin according to Givaudan’s Eco-Compass™ scorecard.

Sources

• Bajgrowicz, J. A., & Kraft, P. (2001). Fragrance chemistry – milestones and perspectives. Chimia, 55(5), 379–386.

• Firmenich. (2020). Polysantol® marketing sheet [Technical brochure]. Firmenich SA.

• Fráter, G., Bajgrowicz, J. A., & Kraft, P. (1998). Design of potent sandalwood odorants. Tetrahedron, 54(24), 7633–7703.

• Helmlinger, D., & Pesaro, M. (1983). Campholenic alcohol derivatives (European Patent No. EP 116 277). European Patent Office.

• Vigon International. (2022). Ebanol® safety data sheet (Version 3). Vigon International.