Butylene Glycol (CAS 107-88-0) — Sweet Heart Note Fragrance Ingredient
Butylene Glycol
CAS 107-88-0
What Is Butylene Glycol?
Butylene Glycol is a clear, slightly sweet liquid used in many personal care products like moisturizers, serums, and perfumes. It helps other ingredients penetrate skin and prevents formulas from drying out. While you won’t smell it directly, this workhorse ingredient improves how fragrances perform by stabilizing volatile aroma compounds and creating smoother scent diffusion.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFEWhat Does Butylene Glycol Smell Like?
Butylene Glycol itself is nearly odorless, presenting only the faintest hint of chemical sweetness akin to diluted glycerin. As a solvent in perfumery, it acts as an invisible carrier – neither enhancing nor masking the materials it carries. Its neutral profile makes it ideal for preserving delicate top notes without adding its own character. The viscosity provides a subtle slowing effect on evaporation, allowing brighter components to linger slightly longer before giving way to heart notes.
Scent Profile
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Used as a solvent for the crisp citrus opening, helping stabilize the volatile lemon and bergamot notes while allowing their natural brightness to shine through without interference.
Employed as part of the floral bouquet carrier system, providing optimal dissolution for the jasmine absolute and ylang-ylang without altering their delicate floral signatures.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CC(O)CCO
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Butylene Glycol (1,3-butanediol) is a 4-carbon diol existing as two stereoisomers, with the (R)-(-) form showing optical activity. Industrially produced via hydrogenation of acetoin or microbial fermentation of sugars, it’s classified as a vicinal diol with hygroscopic properties. The molecule’s two hydroxyl groups (-OH) at positions 1 and 3 create excellent hydrogen bonding capacity, explaining its complete water miscibility. While synthetic in perfumery, it occurs naturally in some fermented foods. The XLogP of -0.4 confirms its hydrophilic nature, making it valuable for aqueous fragrance systems.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Boiling Point | 207.5 °C |
|---|---|
| Melting Point | < -50 °C |
| Flash Point | 121 °C |
| Density | 1.0053 g/cm³ at 20 °C |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.02 mmHg |
| Refractive Index | 1.4401 at 20 °C |
| Optical Rotation | -18.8° (R-isomer) |
| Solubility | Miscible with water |
| Appearance | Viscous colorless liquid |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 1-5% | Up to 10% | Solvent for delicate top notes |
| Body Lotions | 2-8% | Up to 15% | Humectant and carrier |
| Hair Sprays | 0.5-3% | Up to 5% | Plasticizer and solvent |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use to modify ethanol’s drying effect in spray fragrances by replacing 5-15% ethanol with butylene glycol.
Alternatives & Comparisons
Smaller 3-carbon diol with similar properties but slightly more odor interference and higher skin penetration potential.
Higher molecular weight alternative with slower evaporation rate, useful for extending fragrance longevity in leave-on products.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. IFRA, REACH, EU Cosmetics Regulation standards update periodically. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating. Not legal or regulatory advice.
IFRA Status
No IFRA restrictions (2023 Amendment 51). Approved for all fragrance categories without limits.
RIFM Assessment
RIFM evaluation confirms safe use in current practices (2019 assessment). No significant dermal absorption or systemic toxicity.
Sustainability
Most butylene glycol is produced via petrochemical routes, though bio-based production from corn sugar is increasing. The 2018 EPA Safer Choice program recognizes it as a preferred glycol alternative due to lower aquatic toxicity compared to similar solvents. Its complete biodegradability (OECD 301 tests) and low bioaccumulation potential make it environmentally favorable among glycols.
Explore Butylene Glycol
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References
- PubChem Compound Summary for CID 7896 PubChem 7896
- CIR Expert Panel (2008). Final report on the safety assessment of Butylene Glycol. International Journal of Toxicology. PMID 18666085
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Mar 2026.
Report a data errorPhysicochemical Properties
DTXSID: DTXSID8026773
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 90.122 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 1.002 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 206.85 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | -54 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 117.6 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.438 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 89.951 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | -0.29 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | -0.636 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | -0.636 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 6.88 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 11.12 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole🔬 EPA CTX |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.03 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Viscosity | 21.315 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 34.944 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 185.052 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 40.46 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 2 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 2 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 2 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 23.609 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 9.359 Å^3📊 OPERA |
Data Sources:
🔬 EPA Experimental data from U.S. EPA CompTox Chemicals Dashboard & CTX APIs. 📊 OPERA Predicted using EPA's OPERA QSAR models. 💻 Computed Calculated from SMILES using RDKit.
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