As a pharmaceutical and organic chemical intermediate, methyl salicylate industry development opportunities and challenges coexist

Methyl salicylate, also known as methyl o-hydroxybenzoate and methyl salicylate, has a chemical formula of C8H8O3. It is an organic compound generated by the hydroxyl group of methanol attacking the carboxyl group of salicylic acid. Methyl salicylate appears as a colorless to light yellow transparent liquid with a strong aroma of wintergreen oil. It is soluble in acetic acid, ether, chloroform and ethanol, and is slightly soluble in water. Methyl salicylate is commonly used as an intermediate in pharmaceuticals and organic chemicals, and is widely used in the fields of architectural coatings, medicines, cosmetics, fiber dyeing auxiliaries, pesticides and fungicides.

The production of methyl salicylate is mainly based on steam distillation, usually using holly branches and leaves as the main raw material. Salicylic acid is obtained through fractionation. Under catalyst conditions, excess methanol is reacted with salicylic acid, and then washed with water, etc. The process produces the finished product. Holly is an important raw material for methyl salicylate and is common in Anhui, Henan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi and Jiangsu in my country. Benefiting from the sufficient supply of raw materials and mature production technology, the development speed of my country’s methyl salicylate industry continues to accelerate.

According to the “2023-2028 China Methyl Salicylate Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report released by the Industrial Research Center It shows that methyl salicylate has a wide range of applications, including architectural coatings, medicines, cosmetics, fiber dyeing auxiliaries, insecticides and fungicides. In recent years, methyl salicylate has gained broad application prospects in the medical field. It has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects and can be used to treat traumatic synovitis, chronic strain, fascial inflammation and other diseases. Drugs such as profen and paracetamol tablets are its end products. As the COVID-19 epidemic continues to spread, the purchase demand for common antipyretic and analgesic drugs such as ibuprofen and paracetamol tablets has increased, which has brought certain opportunities for the development of the methyl salicylate industry.

Methyl salicylate is reproductively toxic and will be metabolized into salicylic acid in the body. Extensive use will cause harm to human eye and skin health. In recent years, countries around the world have paid increasing attention to the hazards of methyl salicylate. In December 2022, methyl salicylate was included in the EU cosmetics regulations and its use concentration was strictly restricted. Against this background, the application demand of methyl salicylate in the cosmetics field has declined, which has brought challenges to its industry development.

There are many methyl salicylate manufacturers in my country, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises. Hebei Clavell Biological, Jiangsu Puyuan Chemical, Hubei Jusheng, Hubei Max Refining, Hubei Meilin Pharmaceutical, etc. are the main manufacturers of methyl salicylate in my country.

Industry analysts said that as a commonly used drug and organic chemical intermediate, methyl salicylate has a wide range of applications and has huge potential for industry development. . However, in recent years, the harmful effects of extensive use of methyl salicylate have attracted great attention from various countries, and its application demand in the cosmetics field has declined. In terms of market competition, my country’s methyl salicylate market is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises, with low industry concentration and relatively fragmented market competition.