Butyl isobutyrate

Chemical properties

Butyl isobutyrate is a colorless liquid, almost insoluble in water, miscible with alcohol and oils. Sp.Gr. 0.862. B.P. 156℃.  Butyl isobutyrate has a strong, fresh, fruity odor (apple, banana) and sweet, pineapple-like taste.

Occurrence

Reported present in Roman chamomile essential oil, papaya, quince, apple, honey, apricot, banana and cheeses.

The Uses of Butyl isobutyrate

Butyl isobutyrate is used in flavor compositions for imitation Apple, Apricot, Banana, Arak, Butter, Cherry, Ginger, Gooseberry, Hop, Melon, Blackberry, Orange, Peach, Pineapple, Raspberry, Strawberry, Tangerine, etc. Concentrations in the finished product are normally about 40 ppm, except in chewing gum - up to 2000 ppm, (Juicy-fruit and Tuttifrutti type of flavors for chewing gum).

Preparation

Prepared from the corresponding acid and n-butyl alcohol by esterification in the presence of concentrated H2SO4 with or without solvent (boiling benzene). Or Butyl isobutyrate is formed by direct esterificalion of n-Butyl alcohol with iso-Butyric acid under azeotropic conditions.

Definition

ChEBI: Butylisobutyrate is a carboxylic ester.

Aroma threshold values

Detection: 80 to 170 ppb

Taste threshold values

Taste characteristics at 30 ppm: fruity, sweet, pineapple, apple, cherry, tutti-frutti, banana.