Methyl cinnamate is the methyl ester

Ester

Esters are chemical compounds derived by reacting an oxoacid with a hydroxyl compound such as an alcohol or phenol. Esters are usually derived from an inorganic acid or organic acid in which at least one -OH group is replaced by an -O-alkyl group, and most commonly from carboxylic acids and...

 of cinnamic acid

Cinnamic acid

Cinnamic acid is a white crystalline organic acid, which is slightly soluble in water.It is obtained from oil of cinnamon, or from balsams such as storax. It is also found in shea butter and is the best indication of its environmental history and post-extraction conditions...

 and is a white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor. It is found naturally in a variety of plants, including in fruits, like strawberry

Strawberry

Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...

, and some culinary spices, such as Sichuan pepper

Sichuan Pepper

Sichuan pepper is the outer pod of the tiny fruit of a number of species in the genus Zanthoxylum , widely grown and consumed in Asia as a spice. Despite the name, it is not related to black pepper or to chili peppers...

 and some varieties of basil

Basil

Basil, or Sweet Basil, is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum , of the family Lamiaceae , sometimes known as Saint Joseph's Wort in some English-speaking countries....

. Eucalyptus olida

Eucalyptus olida

Eucalyptus olida, also known as the Strawberry Gum, is a medium-sized tree to 20 m, restricted to sclerophyll woodlands on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, in Eastern Australia. The bark is fibrous in mature trees. Flowers are cream coloured and are followed by small woody capsules. The...

has the highest known concentrations of methyl cinnamate (98%) with a 2-6% fresh weight yield in the leaf and twigs.

Methyl cinnamate is used in the flavor and perfume industries. The flavor is fruity and strawberry-like; and the odor is sweet, balsamic with fruity odor, reminiscent of cinnamon and strawberry.

It is known to attract males of various orchid bee

Euglossini

Euglossine bees, also called orchid bees, are the only group of corbiculate bees whose non-parasitic members do not all possess eusocial behavior. Most of the species are solitary, though a few are communal, or exhibit simple forms of eusociality...

s, such as Aglae caerulea.

List of plants that contain the chemical

• Eucalyptus olida
  Eucalyptus olida
  Eucalyptus olida, also known as the Strawberry Gum, is a medium-sized tree to 20 m, restricted to sclerophyll woodlands on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, in Eastern Australia. The bark is fibrous in mature trees. Flowers are cream coloured and are followed by small woody capsules. The...
  
  'Strawberry gum'
• Ocimum americanum
  Ocimum americanum
  Ocimum americanum, known as lime, hairy or "hoary basil", is an annual herb with white or lavender flowers. It is used for medicinal purposes....
  
  cv.Purple Lovingly (Querendona Morada)
• Ocimum americanum cv. Purple Castle (Castilla Morada)
• Ocimum americanum cv. Purple Long-legged (Zancona morada)
• Ocimum americanum cv. Clove (Clavo)
• Ocimum basilicum cv. Sweet Castle (Dulce de Castilla)
• Ocimum basilicum cv. White Compact (Blanca compacta)
• Ocimum basilicum cv. large green leaves (Verde des horjas grandes)
• Ocimum micranthum cv. Cinnamon (Canela)
• Ocimum minimum cv. Little Virgin (Virgen pequena)
• Ocimum minimum cv. Purple Virgin (Virgen morada)
• Ocimum
  Ocimum
  Ocimum is a genus of about 35 species of aromatic annual and perennial herbs and shrubs in the family Lamiaceae, mostly native to the tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World.Some species include:...
  
  sp. cv. Purple ruffle (Crespa morada)
• Ocimum
  Ocimum
  Ocimum is a genus of about 35 species of aromatic annual and perennial herbs and shrubs in the family Lamiaceae, mostly native to the tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World.Some species include:...
  
  sp. cv. White Ruffle (Crespa blanca)

Toxicology & safety

Moderately toxic by ingestion. The oral LD50 for rats is 2610 mg/kg. It is combustible as a liquid, and when heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes.