Oxyoctaline Formate – Bridge Between Wood and Amber
Oxyoctaline Formate by Givaudan – The Complete Reference
Oxyoctaline Formate is one of the least understood materials in modern perfumery – not because it is insignificant, but because its value only reveals itself in context. Smelled on its own, it seems unremarkable. In the formula, it solves problems that no other material solves in the same way.
Contents
- What is Oxyoctaline Formate?
- What does it smell like – solo and in the formula?
- Why you need it at all
- Chemistry and physics
- Dosage and effect
- Practical – dissolving, storing, combining
- Position in Givaudan's ambery family
- Stability
- IFRA status and regulation
- Frequently asked questions
1. What is Oxyoctaline Formate?
Oxyoctaline Formate (CAS 65405-72-3, EC no. 265-742-1) is a synthetic molecule by Givaudan from the family of formate esters of an octahydrogenated tetramethyl naphthalenol. The molecular formula is C₁₅H₂₄O₂, the molecular weight is 236.30 g/mol.
One detail that appears in no product description, but follows directly from the official Certificate of Analysis: Oxyoctaline Formate is not a single, chemically pure compound. It is tested by the ISO 7609 method as a sum of four isomers (purity ≥ 95%) – four closely related variants of the same molecular skeleton. The Certificate of Analysis does not state the exact structural differences between the four isomers; various chemical databases list slightly differing designations for the same CAS number, which points to differences in the position of the substituents on the ring system.
This is not a flaw. For comparison: other Givaudan amber materials – foremost Ambrofix™ – draw their effect precisely from the controlled purity of a single enantiomer. Oxyoctaline Formate takes the opposite approach: a mixture of four isomers. Whether this structural difference is the sole reason for the multi-layered, textured impression that users attribute to the material cannot be conclusively demonstrated from the available data – but the parallel is striking enough to mention.
2. What does it smell like – solo and in the formula?
Here one has to be honest, because this is exactly what explains why Oxyoctaline Formate is so often overlooked: tested solo on the blotter, it is rarely impressive. The character is dry, woody, slightly green and powdery – Givaudan's official sensory profile calls it "woody, dry, green, powerful." On the manufacturer's page, an ambery, olibanum-like (frankincense-like) undertone is additionally described.
Anyone smelling it for the first time and expecting a loud, immediately convincing scent will be disappointed. That is normal – and it is not the purpose of the material either.
The real character shows only in interplay: in combination with natural woody materials such as cedarwood, vetiver or patchouli, Oxyoctaline Formate develops a depth that is not perceptible on its own. It brings a kind of "freshly cut, still moist wood" quality into compositions – unlike the dry, static hardness of many other woody molecules.
3. Why you need it at all
The honest answer to "what do I need this for" is not "because it smells good," but: because it solves a concrete structural problem in formulas that many perfumers know but can rarely name.
Problem 1 – the formula falls apart into individual pieces. Anyone building a woody-amber composition and noticing that the individual ingredients stand next to each other instead of fusing into a whole often has a gap between the transparent woody notes and the heavy amber base. In practice, Oxyoctaline Formate is used for exactly these transitions – it fills the space between "airy-woody" and "heavy-ambery" instead of standing in the foreground itself.
Problem 2 – real frankincense (olibanum) is expensive, unstable and not always available. Natural oils and resinoids of olibanum vary greatly between batches and countries of origin. In practice, Oxyoctaline Formate is repeatedly cited as a tool to build up or reinforce a believable frankincense effect – even entirely without natural olibanum material.
Problem 3 – oud and sandalwood accords seem flat. Synthetic oud bases and sandalwood reconstructions tend to seem two-dimensional when they lack the resinous, slightly dusty depth that natural agarwood brings. Here too, Oxyoctaline Formate regularly appears in practice as a supporting material.
In short: you do not buy this material because you will love it when you smell it. You buy it because you have a particular gap in a formula – and this material closes exactly that gap.
4. Chemistry and physics
| Manufacturer | Givaudan |
| Molecular formula | C₁₅H₂₄O₂ |
| Molecular weight | 236.30 g/mol |
| CAS no. | 65405-72-3 |
| EC no. | 265-742-1 |
| Chemical name | 1,2,3,4,4a,7,8,8a-octahydro-2,4a,5,8a-tetramethyl-1-naphthyl formate |
| Purity | Sum of four isomers, ≥ 95% (ISO 7609) |
| Appearance | Colorless to pale yellow, liquid |
| Log Pow | 5 (OECD 117) |
| Water solubility | 2.2 mg/l at 20 °C (practically insoluble) |
| Density | 1.032 g/cm³ at 20 °C |
| Refractive index | 1.5027 at 20 °C |
| Melting point | < -20 °C |
| Boiling point | 294 °C at 1013 hPa |
| Flash point | 138 °C (closed cup) |
| Vapor pressure | 0.0036 hPa at 20 °C |
| Givaudan code | 5166003 |
5. Dosage and effect
Givaudan states the usage range as 0.5% to 10%. With a longevity of around one week on the blotter, the material clearly belongs to the base notes.
- 0.5–2% – barely perceptible on its own, supports and connects existing woody and amber accords. At this order of magnitude (1%), the material also appears in an official Givaudan demo formula for a candle ("Talisman," Ambermax formulation)
- 2–5% – clear olibanum effect, suitable for reinforcing frankincense or oud accords
- 5–10% – a standalone, textured character emerges
Givaudan's official performance evaluation confirms this role: good substantivity in the wet state, moderate substantivity in the dry state, good effect in soap bases ("bloom in soap").
6. Practical – dissolving, storing, combining
Dissolving
Practically water-insoluble (2.2 mg/l at 20 °C), readily soluble in fatty and alcoholic carriers. The high Log Pow value of 5 shows a strong affinity for oil and wax phases.
Storage
Store at 10–30 °C, dry and well ventilated. Protect from light, keep under nitrogen. Keep the container tightly closed.
Combining
On Givaudan's own Ingredient Map, Oxyoctaline Formate stands at the end of the ambery line, with Madrox as its direct neighbor and Kephalis two stations further. The proximity to Kephalis on the same line coincides with a combination that practicing perfumers also recommend independently, again and again, to give compositions a more intense, frankincense-like accent. Other partners proven in practice are materials from the vetiver, patchouli and cedarwood families, with which Oxyoctaline Formate develops the connecting effect already described.
The odor stability in functional bases varies by pH value:
| pH | Base | Odor stability |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Acidic cleaner | medium |
| 3 | Fabric softener | good |
| 3.5 | Antiperspirant | medium |
| 6 | Shampoo | good |
| 9 | All-purpose cleaner | medium |
| 9 | Liquid detergent | good |
| 10 | Soap | good |
| 10.5 | Washing powder | medium |
| 11 | Liquid bleach | poor |
7. Position in Givaudan's ambery family
On Givaudan's official Ingredient Map – a visual overview of how the company's molecules relate to one another within the olfactory families – the ambery line forms a revealing arc: at one end stands Ambrofix™, at the other end stands Oxyoctaline Formate.
This is more than a footnote. Ambrofix™ stands for controlled, biotechnologically produced purity – a single enantiomer, identical batch after batch. Oxyoctaline Formate stands for the opposite approach: a mixture of four isomers, according to the Certificate of Analysis. This structural difference coincides in timing with the multi-layered, textured impression that users repeatedly attribute to the material – a robust scientific proof of a direct connection is, however, not available. Between these two poles lies practically the entire range of what "amber" can mean in modern perfumery – from flawlessly smooth to vividly complex.
Anyone who already knows Ambrofix™ and wants to understand the amber family fully will find in Oxyoctaline Formate the logical counterpole – not as a replacement, but as a complement at the other end of the same spectrum.
8. Stability
For acute toxicity, the values are in the harmless range: the oral LD50 in the rat is over 5,000 mg/kg. In skin tests on the guinea pig, no skin irritation was shown, and in sensitization tests on humans (HRIPT) and on animals, no sensitizing potential resulted. Phototoxicity and genotoxicity (Ames test, in-vitro genetic tests) also tested negative.
Ecologically, Oxyoctaline Formate is classified as hazardous to water under GHS (Aquatic Acute 1 / Chronic 1, H410). In Germany this corresponds to water hazard class 2. It should accordingly not be allowed to enter wastewater, water bodies or soil.
9. IFRA status and regulation
According to independent industry databases of the perfumery sector, Oxyoctaline Formate (CAS 65405-72-3) is subject to no quantitative IFRA restrictions. For a binding answer, it is in any case advisable to consult the current IFRA Standards Library.
Further classification:
- REACH registration number: 01-2120752931-52
- Classified as a combustible liquid (flash point 138 °C), not as highly flammable
- Classified for transport as UN 3082 (environmentally hazardous substance, liquid), packing group III
Frequently asked questions about Oxyoctaline Formate
Is Oxyoctaline Formate a natural material?
No, it is a fully synthetic molecule by Givaudan.
Why does it smell rather unspectacular on its own?
Because its function is not to impress on its own, but to create transitions between other materials. Its effect only shows in interplay with woody and amber materials.
Can it replace real olibanum (frankincense)?
In practice it is frequently used to build up or reinforce a frankincense effect, even without natural olibanum material. It is not a complete, identical replacement for the complexity of natural olibanum oil or resinoid – the natural substance is too complex in composition for that.
What is the difference from Ambrofix™?
Both belong to Givaudan's ambery family, but stand there at opposite ends of the line. Ambrofix™ is a chemically pure, single enantiomer. Oxyoctaline Formate is, according to the Certificate of Analysis, a mixture of four isomers. In scent terms, this expresses itself as a contrast between the smooth, controlled character of Ambrofix™ and the textured, dry effect of Oxyoctaline Formate. The two materials complement each other but do not replace each other.
Are there IFRA restrictions?
According to independent industry databases, Oxyoctaline Formate is not quantitatively restricted in any IFRA category. For a binding answer, it is worth consulting the current IFRA Standards Library.
How do you dissolve Oxyoctaline Formate?
It is practically water-insoluble but dissolves readily in fatty and alcoholic carriers. The Log Pow value of 5 shows a strong affinity for oil and wax phases.