Industrial Grade Flavor Grade 99%; 99.5%Cresol CAS 84989-04-8 Tricresol

What is o-Cresol / 2-Methylphenol? How does it work?

Ortho-Cresol (2-methylphenol, C7H8O, CAS 95-48-7) is the ortho isomer of cresol. Flavour grade o-cresol is a fragrance ingredient that has been awarded FEMA GRAS (Food Flavour and Extract Manufacturers Association GRAS certification) in the US flavour industry. It occurs naturally in coffee, tobacco, tea and castoreum. Even in trace amounts, it can contribute smoky, roasted, spicy and animalic notes and is a perfumer’s secret weapon for creating “deep fragrances.”

Basic identification: Molecular Formula C7H8O Molecular Weight 108.14 CAS Number 95-48-7 EC Number 202-423-8 OCCURRENCE: Naturally occurring in coffee, tobacco, castoreum and some essential oils. Produced commercially by phenol alkylation or extraction and fractionation of coal tar. Flavour grade must be distilled to the high purity required by food flavouring regulations.

It is a colourless to white crystal (melting point 31℃), with a sweet phenolic and caramel aroma; density 1.0465 g/cm ³ ; boiling point 191℃ ; slightly soluble in water (approximately 31 g/L at 40℃), readily soluble in ethanol, propylene glycol and other commonly used fragrance solvents; refractive index 1.5353; flash point 81℃.

Chemical properties: o-cresol has phenolic hydroxyl activity: it can react with alcohols to form ethers and with acids to form esters (its esters such as o-cresol acetate are also fragrance raw materials); the ortho and para positions of the benzene ring can be alkylated (to produce fragrances such as carvacrol and thymol); it is stable in fragrance systems, and even trace amounts have a strong aroma, making it a highly diffusive fragrance raw material. Keep in a dry place away from light and oxidants.

Mechanism of action: Flavor-grade o-cresol has irreplaceable role of “trace contribution of phenolic aroma + status as a natural equivalent fragrance raw material”. Mechanism of action in different applications is as follows:

1.Mechanism of aroma contribution tracing

o-Cresol has a very low aroma threshold, and even at trace levels it can contribute smoky, caramel, spicy and leathery animal notes. In perfumes it is a “deep base,” contributing to the scent’s three-dimensionality and fullness.

2. Natural equivalence, and conforming mechanism

o-Cresol occurs naturally in edible natural products such as tobacco, tea, coffee and castoreum. It is a natural equivalent flavouring ingredient, meets FEMA GRAS and food flavouring regulations of different countries, and can be legally used in food flavourings.

3. Modification and fixation mechanism.

Phenolic fragrance ingredients can alter the main fragrance to make it richer and longer lasting. They can also act in synergy with other fragrance ingredients to produce unique fragrance notes such as smoky, leather and animalic notes.

To summarise, flavor-grade o-cresol is the “trace soul of dark fragrances."  It contributes trace phenolic aroma similar to natural fragrances. From coffee and chocolate flavourings to cigaret flavourings, from whisky aromas to leather fragrances, trace embellishments can be found in many fields of food and daily fragrances.

II. What are the uses of industrial-grade o-Cresol / 2-Methylphenol?

Applications of flavouring grade o-cresol include food flavourings, tobacco flavourings, wine flavourings, daily-use flavourings, and blending with fragrance raw materials. Each application is described below, starting with the downstream end product/application area and working back to the application area describing the respective product and why it is effective for that purpose:

1. Food flavourings (sector of food industry)

Application areas: Food flavourings Food industry.

Related products: Coffee flavourings Chocolate and cocoa flavourings Nut flavourings (roasted peanuts, roasted hazelnuts, roasted almonds) Caramel flavourings Smoked flavourings (bacon, smoked meat, barbecue flavours) Dairy flavourings Confectionery flavourings etc.

Why it works for this purpose: o-Cresol occurs naturally in coffee, tobacco and castoreum. Even the smallest amounts contribute characteristic, natural caramel, smoky and spicy notes. It enhances roasting and smoky notes synergistically with cocoa, nut and caramel flavourings and is compliant with FEMA GRAS regulatory requirements.

2.Tobacco flavours (tobacco industry segment)

Application areas: Tobacco products, new tobacco products

Related products: cigaret flavourings, cigaret flavourings, flavouring capsules, e-cigarette oil flavourings, heated tobacco flavourings, tobacco flavourings, etc.

Why it works for this purpose:  o-Cresol is a natural flavouring component in tobacco. Its smoky, spicy and phenolic notes can improve the aftertaste and enhance the natural aroma of tobacco. It is a common phenolic flavouring ingredient in tobacco flavourings for blending smoky and roasted aromas.

3. Flavoured alcoholic beverages (alcoholic beverage industry)

Application areas: The alcohol drinks industry.

Related products: whisky flavours, rum flavours, brandy flavours, peaty smoke flavours, aged oak barrel flavours, blended spirit flavours, etc.

Why it works for this purpose: Whiskey’s peaty smoke and aged caramel character, among other phenolic notes, are achieved by combining flavouring ingredients such as o-cresol. It can mimic the ageing and smoky characteristics of alcoholic beverages, even in small quantities, and is suitable for blending spirits.

4.Daily chemical industry (daily use fragrance)

Application areas:Daily scents and personal care products.

Related products: men's leather fragrances, spicy colognes, woody tobacco fragrances, soap fragrances, shaving fragrances and after shave fragrances, fragrances for shampoo and conditioner, home aromatherapy etc.

Why it works for this purpose: o-Cresol’s leather, spicy and animalic facets offer a deep and rich base to fragrances, enhancing longevity and complexity. It is an important trace fragrance ingredient in leather, tobacco and oriental fragrances.

5. Castoreum and animal fragrances mix (fragrance raw materials field)

Application areas: Fragrance and flavour blends and high-end fragrance raw materials.

Related products:Castoreum fragrance essence, animalic blend fragrance essence, natural isomeric fragrance raw materials, leather fragrance base, oriental fragrance base, perfume fixative base etc.

Why it works for this purpose: o-Cresol is one of the characteristic components of natural castoreum. When blended in its natural isomeric form, it can recreate the leather and animalic notes of castoreum, to give a warm, sensual and deep fragrance profile for fine perfumes.

Summary: Flavouring grade o-cresol (2-Methylphenol, CAS 95-48-7) is the “trace soul of deep fragrances”. It is a natural aroma-isolating ingredient, contributing trace amounts of phenolic aroma, and has mature applications in five major sectors: food flavourings, tobacco flavourings, alcoholic beverage flavourings, daily-use fragrances and castoreum and animal fragrances blends. Among them, the consumption volume of food flavours such as coffee and chocolate is the largest, and the added value of high-end perfumes with animal fragrance is the highest. Trace amounts are good for everyday food, tobacco, alcohol and fragrance products. Note: o-cresol has a strong odour, is corrosive and toxic (harmful if swallowed or if it comes into contact with skin). Used in flavourings at very low concentrations (ppm). Protective measures must be strictly taken during production and flavouring operations. Food flavourings shall be o-cresol of flavouring grade and meet the requirements of food flavourings.