[2] Its invention came about researching inexpensive chemical transformations from ingredients from the pentamethyl indane and tetramethyl naphthalene structures.

The IFRA definition defines a polycyclic musk as: Although there are woody-musky notes to Cashmeran, its odour is complex[3] with notes that are: rich spicy, fruity, chypre, balsamic and vanilla, overall intended to convey the soft sensuous feeling of cashmere (hence the trade name Cashmeran).

Cashmeran also lacks the aromatic benzene ring structure, which is present throughout the polycyclic musks.

Cashmeran has a bio concentration factor (BCF) of 156 and an octanol-water partition coefficient (Log Kow) of 4.2, which makes that this material not a very persistent, very bioaccumulative (vPvB), nor a persistent bioaccumulating toxic (PBT) substance.

Short term aquatic toxicity for cashmeran is >1 mg/kg for all species (Daphnia, algae and fish).