Alpha-phenylpropionic acid (hydratropic acid) has a warm, sweet-balsamic odor with honeyed and mildly floral facets, reminiscent of hyacinth and faded rose. There is a faint phenolic, waxy undertone that gives it a natural, slightly animalic warmth in dilution.AI · claude-opus-4-7
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Perfume and Flavor Chemicals, page 1125.
Colorless liquid
Slightly soluble in water, soluble in alcohol and oils
Heavy-sweet floral Honey-like odor of good tenacity but not very powerful
This acid has occasionally been used in perfume compositions as supporting note in Honey-bases.
1) from Benzyl cyanide by Methylation with Methyl iodide and Sodamide to produce alpha-Phenylpropionitrile, from which the acid is produced by acid hydrolysis. 2) from Acetophenone cyanhydrin with Hydriodic acid.