Isoamyl acetate

Description

Isoamyl acetate is a colorless ester of acetic acid and isoamyl alcohol with a strong, pleasant, banana scent. It exists in bananas, apples, pears, and/or peaches. Due to its minimal toxicity (LD50 = 17g/kg, rat (oral), isoamyl acetate is commonly used as a key ingredient in perfumes, soap, lotion, shampoo, deodorants, air fresheners, vanishes, polishes (shoe, leather, furniture, nail). It also finds important industrial uses as a solvent for dyes, lacquers, oil paints, resins, and in dry cleaning. For beekeepers, the strong smell of banana oil is a critical attractant for honeybees.