Acetaldehyde (CAS: 75-07-0) is a structurally simple aliphatic aldehyde compound with prominent chemical reactivity. The high reactivity of the aldehyde group in its molecule endows it with strong derivatization capabilities. As a basic organic chemical raw material and fine chemical intermediate, it demonstrates irreplaceable multi-scenario application value in the fields of pharmaceutical synthesis, agrochemical preparation, fragrance formulation and material industry. Its production processes cover multiple routes such as direct ethylene oxidation and ethanol dehydrogenation, and market demand is deeply linked to core trends including the upgrading of the medical and health industry, the green development of agriculture, and the improvement of food flavor quality. Based on the chemical properties and industrial characteristics of this compound, this paper systematically analyzes its application value and market dynamics, focusing on core application scenarios, technological development directions and supply advantages, so as to provide references for industry participants.
Demand in Core Application Fields
The market demand for Acetaldehyde (CAS: 75-07-0) shows a multi-field divergent characteristic, and its high reactivity and derivatization potential are the core advantages driving demand growth. Among them, the three fields of pharmaceutical synthesis, agrochemical production and fragrance preparation account for more than 70%, forming a stable demand support system.
In the field of pharmaceutical synthesis, acetaldehyde (CAS : 75-07-0) serves as a key intermediate and core raw material for synthesizing a variety of commonly used clinical drugs. It can prepare derivatives such as lactic acid and ethyl acetate through reactions like aldol condensation and redox, and then further synthesize cephalosporin antibiotics, vitamin B1, and barbiturate sedative-hypnotic drugs. For example, in the industrial production of vitamin B1, the condensation reaction between acetaldehyde and diethyl malonate is a key step, and its purity directly affects the yield and quality of the final product. International pharmaceutical giants such as Pfizer and Roche have strict standards for the purity (requiring ≥99.5%) and impurity content (heavy metal residues ≤0.1ppm) of pharmaceutical-grade acetaldehyde, and their procurement demand accounts for more than 60% of the global pharmaceutical-grade acetaldehyde market. With the intensification of global aging and the increasing demand for anti-infective drugs, the annual demand growth rate in this field remains at 6%-8%.
In the field of agrochemical production,Acetaldehyde (CAS: 75-07-0) is an important precursor for synthesizing high-efficiency and low-toxicity pesticides, and is widely used especially in herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. Schiff base derivatives generated by its reaction with amine compounds are core active ingredients of new green pesticides, featuring high efficiency against target organisms and environmental friendliness. For example, the imidacloprid intermediate synthesized from acetaldehyde improves the control effect of pesticides on piercing-sucking pests such as aphids and planthoppers by more than 30%, and shortens the degradation cycle to 1/3 of that of traditional pesticides.
In the field of fragrance preparation,Acetaldehyde (CAS: 75-07-0) has become an important component of food flavors and daily chemical fragrances due to its unique flavor contribution and reactivity. It itself has a faint fruity aroma and can be directly used to formulate fruit-flavored essences such as apple and strawberry. Meanwhile, as an intermediate, it can synthesize fragrance components such as isoamyl acetate (banana oil) and acetaldehyde diethyl acetal, which are widely applied in beverages, pastries, toothpaste and perfumes. With the tightening of safety requirements for food flavors under the EU Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, the demand for high-purity and traceable acetaldehyde has grown significantly faster than the industry average, especially its application proportion in high-end natural flavor formulations continues to increase.
Major Market Participants
The global market supply system ofAcetaldehyde (CAS: 75-07-0)presents a pattern of “large-scale enterprises dominating basic supply and refined enterprises seizing high-end markets”. Since basic-grade products rely on large-scale production to reduce costs and high-end products need to break through technical barriers in purity control and impurity separation, market competition focuses on enterprises with dual advantages in cost control and technical strength.
In the glob al high-end market, international chemical enterprises with integrated industrial chain advantages occupy a leading position. Germany’s BASF, relying on large-scale ethylene oxidation production technology, can stably supply electronic-grade and pharmaceutical-grade acetaldehyde with purity ≥99.8%. Its products have obtained US FDA and EU EDQM certifications, and are mainly supplied to top global pharmaceutical and fragrance enterprises; The US Dow Chemical has formed differentiated competition in the food-grade acetaldehyde field by virtue of the green advantages of the ethanol dehydrogenation process. Its products have outstanding performance in flavor stability indicators and account for more than 50% of the North American food flavor raw material market; Japan’s Mitsubishi Chemical has effectively reduced the content of impurities such as formaldehyde in products through catalytic technology optimization, and its pharmaceutical-grade acetaldehyde accounts for 45% of the raw material market for antibiotic production in Japan.
In the field of basic and industrial-grade supply, enterprises from countries with raw material advantages such as China, the United States and India have become core forces. As the world’s largest acetaldehyde producer (with annual output accounting for more than 75% of the global total), China has nurtured a number of backbone enterprises, whose products are mainly industrial-grade with a purity of 98%-99%, and some enterprises have developed products with a purity of more than 99.5% through precision distillation technology. In terms of process characteristics, domestic enterprises have generally introduced high-efficiency catalytic oxidation and continuous distillation separation technologies, made breakthroughs in improving raw material conversion rate (reaching more than 99%) and reducing energy consumption, and effectively controlled production costs. India’s Reliance Industries, relying on local ethanol resources, focuses on supplying acetaldehyde for pesticides to the South Asian agricultural market.
Regional Market Dynamics
As a key organic chemical intermediate, the regional market of Acetaldehyde (CAS: 75-07-0) shows distinct differentiation characteristics due to differences in industrial foundation, policy orientation and raw material advantages. Asia-Pacific, North America and Europe are core markets, and emerging regions such as the Middle East are also rising rapidly. The specific dynamics are as follows:
Asia-Pacific Region: It is the global core of acetaldehyde production capacity and consumption. The production capacity is expected to reach 1.85 million tons in 2025 (accounting for 38.5% of the global total), with East China accounting for more than 60% of the national capacity and the Yangtze River Delta serving as the pricing center in the Asia-Pacific region. Production is dominated by the ethylene oxidation method (accounting for more than 85%), the import dependence is decreasing year by year, and exports are mainly to Southeast Asia and Africa with an average annual export growth rate of 9.3%. Japanese enterprises focus on technological upgrading, India has connected petrochemical and bio-based raw materials, and Southeast Asia mainly adopts the ethanol process, with an average annual growth rate of 4.5%-5.2% from 2024 to 2030, while undertaking the capacity spillover from China.
North American Region: It is the fastest-growing region in the global acetaldehyde market, with a compound annual growth rate of 3.18% from 2025 to 2030. The shale gas revolution has brought cheap ethane, reducing production costs by 14% and promoting breakthroughs in ethane-to-acetaldehyde catalytic technology, with Celanese’s Clear Lake platform being a typical project. Demand is driven by the coatings and pharmaceutical industries; the demand for UV-curable clear coats in the automotive field has driven the consumption of pentaerythritol; the demand for high-purity acetaldehyde in the pharmaceutical field is growing with the production of complex drugs. Affected by trade barriers, capacity expansion is slow, and efforts are being made to consolidate the competitiveness of the high-end market through PET recycling and low-carbon technologies.
European Region: Driven by EU policies, the industry is transforming to bio-based. The proportion of green acetaldehyde is expected to reach 28% in 2025 and rise to 35% in 2030. Environmental policies have pushed up costs but also brought premiums to bio-acetaldehyde. Demand is concentrated in high-performance coatings and pharmaceutical fields; under low-VOC policies, acetaldehyde-derived acetate has become a core component of coatings. Europe’s leading recycled PET de-aldehyde technology has indirectly driven the long-term demand for acetaldehyde, and the technology is spreading outward.
Middle East and Other Emerging Regions: The Middle East is planning 4 world-class projects relying on cheap ethane, and its production capacity proportion is expected to exceed 10% in 2030. Large-scale production has strong cost competitiveness and will become an important supply base. South America is developing steadily relying on ethanol upgrading technology; Africa mainly relies on exports from the Asia-Pacific to supplement demand, and basic demand is growing slowly after the local chemical industry starts.
Regulatory and Environmental Considerations
As a pharmaceutical intermediate, food-contact flavor raw material and pesticide precursor, the production, trade and use of acetaldehyde are subject to strict supervision by major global economies. Compliance certification has become a core threshold for entering high-end markets, and regulatory standards vary significantly across different application fields.
In the EU market, the compound needs to meet multiple regulatory requirements according to application scenarios: when used as a pharmaceutical intermediate, it must comply with EU GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards and obtain CEP (Certificate of Suitability to the European Pharmacopoeia) certification from EDQM; when used in food flavors, it must pass the safety assessment of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and be included in the “EU List of Permitted Food Flavor Raw Materials”; when used in pesticide production, it needs to complete relevant registrations under the EU BPR (Biocidal Products Regulation). Non-EU manufacturers must fulfill compliance obligations through an Only Representative (OR) in the EU, and compliance costs are 40%-60% higher than those of ordinary chemicals.
In the US market, pharmaceutical-grade acetaldehyde needs to complete DMF (Drug Master File) filing with the US FDA and submit complete production process and quality control data; food-grade products must comply with the requirements for food additives in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR); pesticide-grade products need to obtain relevant registrations from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Violations of relevant regulations may result in product seizure, recall and fines of up to $2 million.
In the Asian market, China has included it in the scope of control under the Good Manufacturing Practice for Pharmaceutical Products (Revised in 2020), implementing strict GMP certification for pharmaceutical-grade acetaldehyde manufacturers; Japan regulates pharmaceutical and food-grade products through the Good Manufacturing Practice for Drugs and the Food Sanitation Act respectively, requiring complete raw material traceability and impurity testing reports; India implements registration management for pharmaceutical-grade acetaldehyde through the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. In international trade, due to its certain volatility and irritation (flash point of -39℃), the compound must be packaged and transported in compliance with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.
In terms of environmental protection, the global trend of green chemical industry has promoted the upgrading of production processes. Wastewater discharge and energy consumption issues in traditional acetaldehyde production processes have become the focus of supervision. The EU REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) Regulation has put forward clear emission reduction requirements for related processes, prompting enterprises to adopt new catalytic materials and cyclic processes to increase the wastewater reuse rate to more than 90%.
Future Outlook
The market prospect of Acetaldehyde (CAS: 75-07-0) is deeply bound to the development of three major fields: pharmaceutical innovation, green agriculture and food flavor quality improvement. The global industrial trends of “high-endization and greenization” and the expansion of emerging market demand will become core growth drivers. It is expected that the compound annual growth rate of the global market size will remain at 7%-9% in the next 5 years.
On the demand side, there are three clear growth drivers: first, the upgrading of the pharmaceutical innovation industry, with the global R&D investment in innovative drugs increasing by 15% annually, especially the R&D of new drugs in anti-infective and anti-tumor fields, which will drive the demand for high-purity pharmaceutical-grade acetaldehyde; second, the development of green agriculture, with the global demand for high-efficiency and low-toxicity pesticides continuing to rise, promoting the growth of acetaldehyde consumption for pesticides; third, the improvement of food flavor quality, with consumers’ preference for natural and safe food flavors driving up the application proportion of food-grade acetaldehyde in high-end flavor formulations.
The challenges include: the price fluctuation range of raw materials (ethylene and ethanol) reaching 25%-35%; the tightening of regulatory policies in various countries raising compliance costs; and the impact of alternative processes on some mid-to-low-end application scenarios. Enterprises need to improve product quality through process optimization, lock in raw material supply to hedge risks, and build a global compliance system to respond.
In conclusion, acetaldehyde has prominent value as a core raw material adaptable to multiple fields including pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and fragrances, and its demand is driven by “high-endization, greenization and high adaptability” for rapid growth. Despite challenges, technological upgrading and scenario expansion make its prospect promising. In the future, enterprises with raw material integration, high-end purification and compliance service capabilities will lead the development of the industry.
As a world-leading supplier of organic chemicals, Shanghai Xinchen Chemical Co., Ltd. (XinChem) has always focused on the innovative needs of the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, fragrance, and materials industries. Leveraging its core technological advantages in the synthesis and purification of aldehyde compounds, XinChem provides high-quality acetaldehyde (CAS: 75-07-0) to global customers, making it an ideal choice for multi-field functional fine chemicals.
1. Technical Advantages
Green Synthesis Processes
Relying on an advanced aldehyde synthesis technology system, we have developed a dual-line production model integrating optimized ethylene directional oxidation process and high-efficiency ethanol dehydrogenation process. Combined with precision distillation and adsorption purification technologies, we achieve dual improvements in product quality and production efficiency:
Using high-quality ethylene (purity ≥99.9%) or food-grade ethanol as raw materials, and adopting new palladium-based catalysts to precisely control the reaction process, the by-product content is less than 0.2%, and the raw material conversion rate is increased to over 99%, significantly reducing production costs and waste emissions.
The product boasts excellent purity and quality stability, with the variation of key indicators between batches controlled within 0.1%, meeting the refined application requirements of pharmaceuticals, food, and other sectors.
Full-Chain Compliance Control
The production process strictly complies with domestic and international regulatory standards such as GMP, FCC (Food Chemicals Codex), EU No 1334/2008, and China’s GB 2760. Targeting the characteristics of acetaldehyde (CAS : 75-07-0) products, we have established a full-chain quality control system covering raw material traceability, real-time process detection, and multi-dimensional finished product release.
2. Product Advantages
High Purity and Stable Performance
The Acetaldehyde (CAS: 75-07-0) is available in multiple specifications including industrial-grade, food-grade, and pharmaceutical-grade with purities of 98%/99% (detected by GC). It ensures excellent reaction selectivity in pharmaceutical synthesis, agrochemical preparation, and fragrance formulation, avoiding interference of impurities on product performance, flavor, or safety.
Diversified Packaging and Compatibility
We offer flexible packaging and storage-transportation solutions, including 200KG galvanized barrels for industrial-grade products, 25KG iron drums/fluorinated bottles for food-grade products, and 1L/5L sealed fluorinated plastic bottles for laboratory use. These solutions are compatible with the application needs of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, fragrances, and other scenarios, ensuring product stability during transportation and storage.
Reliable Supply Chain Guarantee
With two modern aldehyde production bases, the annual production capacity of acetaldehyde reaches 500 tons, which can meet the large-scale and stable supply needs of global customers. We have established a full-chain visual supply chain management system covering “raw materials-production-logistics-customers”, equipped with a professional dangerous goods transportation team and emergency response mechanism to ensure on-time and safe product delivery.
3. Application Fields
As a highly reactive basic organic chemical raw material, Acetaldehyde (CAS: 75-07-0) demonstrates extensive application value in multiple fields by virtue of its excellent derivatization capability, mainly including:
Pharmaceutical Field: Serves as a core intermediate for synthesizing cephalosporin antibiotics, vitamin B1, barbiturate sedatives, antipyretic and analgesic drugs, etc.; used in preparing pharmaceutical excipients such as lactic acid and acetic acid, and its high-purity characteristic reduces drug safety risks.
Agrochemical Field: Applied in synthesizing intermediates of new neonicotinoid insecticides (e.g., imidacloprid, acetamiprid) and fungicides (e.g., hymexazol); acts as a synergist component to enhance the adhesion and penetration capacity of pesticide active ingredients, improving control efficacy.
Fragrance and Daily Chemical Field: Directly used in formulating fruit-flavored food essences such as apple, strawberry, and peach for beverages, pastries, candies, etc.; serves as an intermediate to synthesize fragrance components (e.g., isoamyl acetate, acetaldehyde diethyl acetal) for daily chemical products like perfumes, toothpaste, and cosmetics.
Materials and Chemical Field: Used as a monomer for synthesizing polymer materials (e.g., paraldehyde, vinyl acetate) to improve material processability and application scope; applied in preparing basic chemical raw materials (e.g., acetic acid, acetic anhydride) for chemical, textile, papermaking, and other industries.
4. Service Support
Customized Technical Solutions
Our professional team composed of senior organic synthesis and application engineers provides full-process technical support. Based on the reaction characteristics of Acetaldehyde (CAS: 75-07-0) such as oxidation, condensation, and addition, we offer professional suggestions including reaction process parameter optimization, impurity control solutions, and product application formula adjustment, solving technical problems in product application and formulating customized solutions.
Global Compliance Services
We have established a compliance service system covering major markets such as Europe, America, Asia-Pacific, and South America, providing customers with one-stop services including product registration, certification application, and regulatory interpretation. We assist customers in quickly meeting regulatory requirements of different regions and smoothly entering target markets.
5. Reasons to Choose XinChem
• Professionalism: Years of experience in organosulfur compound production, and 3-Methylthiopropanal products serve customers in many parts of the world;
• Stability: High product qualification rate and strong customer cooperation stability;
• Cost-effectiveness: Relying on process advantages, the product price is competitive while ensuring consistent quality;
• Sustainability: Promote the R&D of green production technologies to help customers reduce carbon footprint.
Contact us now to get customized solutions!
Official website: www.xinchem.com
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Post time: Dec-03-2025