Syntherester

Syntherester is not a standard nomenclature in chemistry. In published sources it is sometimes used as an informal descriptor for esters that are produced by chemical synthesis rather than isolated from natural sources.

Because it is not formally defined, the exact meaning of syntherester varies; some writers use it to distinguish synthetic esters used in industry from those obtained by fermentation or extraction.

In fragrance and flavor chemistry, syntherester may refer to fragrance esters made by conventional chemical synthesis to achieve particular scent profiles.

Synthesis methods typically involve acid-catalyzed esterification of carboxylic acids with alcohols, formation of esters from acyl chlorides, or transesterification; enzymatic routes are sometimes described separately as biosynthetic.

Applications include use as fragrance and flavor ingredients, solvents, and plasticizers in polymers.

Regulatory considerations and purity requirements apply to synthetic esters used in cosmetics, food, and medicines, depending on jurisdiction.

See also: ester, Fischer esterification, transesterification, synthetic organic chemistry.