Tolu Balsam Resinoid

#### Tolu Balsam Resinoid. Tolu Balsam Absolute. Tolu balsam (see this monograph) can be extracted to yield various "cleaned" products. The crude balsam is soluble in alcohol, benzene, acetone, ether, chloroform, trichloro ethylene, methylene dichloride, etc., but not in petroleum ether. An alcohol extraction thus yields from 65% to over 90% of a product which is commercially available under various names, e.g. "resin absolute tolu", tolu resinoid, purified tolu, etc. Benzene extraction products are also commercially available, and are generally called tolu resinoid. The term "resin tolu" truly refers to the extracted, resinous matter from which the essential oil has been removed. Such a product is obviously a byproduct from the suppliers who distil tolu balsam (see also **Tolu**** ****Balsam Oil**, adulteration). The resin has very little odor value, and is only a mediocre fixative since it has a high percentage of acids (benzoic and cinnamic in particular). These are not appreciated in perfumery or in soaps. **Tolu**** ****Balsam**** ****Absolute**** **should be prepared from the benzene resinoid of tolu balsam by alcohol washing. However, it is customary to prepare the "absolute" by cold alcohol extraction of the crude tolu balsam. Due to these facts, it is not possible to give a firm description of these products. They appear on the perfumery market in a wealth of qualities and under scores of fancy names. Neutralized extracts of tolu balsam are produced by alkali washing of the benzene extract. The resin acids, cinnamic and benzoic acids, and other free acids are thereby removed. Such neutral tolu extracts are often very light colored, and they are excellent materials for soap perfumery where they simultaneously lend floral and fixative effect without affecting the alkalinity of the soap, or acid-hydrolizing eventual delicate perfume materials in the soap perfume. **Tolu Balsam Resinoid **or **Tolu Balsam Absolute **are used primarily as fixatives in citrus-colognes, Oriental perfumes, chypres and floral bases, etc. Along with Peru balsam products, they are among the most interesting modifiers for "exotic" floral fragrances.