Cinnamic Acid

Cinnamic acid is an organic compound that is slightly solublein water. Classified as an unsaturated carboxylic acid, it occurs naturally in a number of plants. It is freely soluble in many organic solvents.
It is obtained from oil of cinnamon, or from balsams such as storax. It is also found in shea butter. Cinnamic acid has a honey-like odor; It and its more volatile ethyl ester (ethyl cinnamate) are flavor components in the essential oil of cinnamon, in which related cinnamaldehyde is the major constituent. Cinnamic acid is also part of the biosynthetic shikimate andphenylpropanoid pathways. Its biosynthesis is performed by action of the enzyme phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) onphenylalanine.