Cashmeran was discovered by International Flavors and Fragrances in the 1970s by John Hall. Its invention came about researching inexpensive chemical transformations from ingredients from the pentamethyl indane and tetramethyl naphthalene structures. As a result Cashmeran, an unsaturated ketone, was identified as an important new fragrance ingredient.
Odour
Although cashmeran has been described by some as a polycyclic musk, it is neither primarily a musk odour ingredient, nor does it belong to the polycyclic musk group as defined by the International Fragrance Association. The IFRA definition defines a polycyclic musk as:
Being used primarily and uniquely for their musk odor
Having a molecular formula of C17H24O or C18H26O, and containing one central aromatic benzene ring.
Although there are woody-musky notes to Cashmeran, its odour is complex with notes that are: rich spicy, fruity, chypre, balsamic and vanilla, overall intended to convey the soft sensuous feeling of cashmere. As such, cashmeran is used to impart its own characteristic odour, which is completely different from regular musk ingredients. This is further reflected by its typical use level of around 2% compared to for instance the polycyclic musk HHCB with use levels in fragrances up to 30%. Cashmeran also lacks the aromatic benzene ring structure, which is present throughout the polycyclic musks. Cashmeran should therefore not be categorized as a polycyclic musk.
Environmental data
Cashmeran has a bio concentration factor of 156 and an octanol-water partition coefficient of 4.2, which makes that this material not a very persistent, very bioaccumulative, nor a persistent bioaccumulating toxic substance. Short termaquatic toxicity for cashmeran is >1 mg/kg for all species. Cashmeran has an environmental hazard classification. In this sense, Cashmeran's bio concentration and aquatic toxicity is even an order of magnitude more favourable than those substances considered as polycyclic musks, and therefore also does not meet those criteria for the materials considered to be included in that group.
Environmental and human monitoring studies
Several monitoring studies have been conducted in various environmental compartments and humans. In most studies, DPMI was not detected. Some studies have reported trace levels of DPMI, where the reported levels were below 1 ppm, and typically below 1 ppb. Considering the environmental fate studies, the likelihood of DPMI being present in environmental media is small, and if present, at extremely low levels.
