Carbonic acid, diammonium salt (CAS 506-87-6) — Citrus N/A Note Fragrance Ingredient
Carbonic acid, diammonium salt
CAS 506-87-6
What Is Carbonic acid, diammonium salt?
Ammonium carbonate is a synthetic compound primarily used in baking as leavening agent. You’ll encounter it in traditional cookies and crackers. This inorganic salt releases ammonia gas when heated, creating a distinctive lift in baked goods. While not commonly used in perfumery, its sharp ammonia-like scent has niche applications in creating certain atmospheric or industrial fragrance accords.
Safety Profile
USE WITH AWARENESSWhat Does Carbonic acid, diammonium salt Smell Like?
Ammonium carbonate presents a sharp, pungent odor reminiscent of household cleaning products with strong ammonia notes. On initial exposure, it assaults the nose with a harsh chemical intensity that gradually mellows into a faintly alkaline, almost chalky dry-down. The scent profile lacks complexity – what you smell initially is essentially what persists, just diminishing in intensity over time without significant evolution.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: [NH4+].[NH4+].[O-]C([O-])=O
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Ammonium carbonate is an inorganic salt with the formula (NH4)2CO3. It decomposes readily into ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), and water (H2O) upon heating. Industrially produced by combining ammonia with carbon dioxide under pressure, it exists as a white crystalline powder at room temperature. Unlike organic fragrance materials, it lacks chiral centers or stereochemical complexity, existing as simple ionic crystals.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Appearance | White crystalline powder |
|---|---|
| Decomposition | 58 °C (releases ammonia) |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Concepts | Trace | <0.1% | Used for ammonia realism |
Classic Accords
Tip: Handle in well-ventilated area due to ammonia release.
Alternatives & Comparisons
More stable baking alternative that similarly decomposes into ammonia.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.
IFRA Status
Not regulated by IFRA – primarily industrial/food use.
GHS Classification
RIFM Assessment
No RIFM assessment – not a fragrance priority material.
Sustainability
Synthetic production from basic industrial chemicals has minimal environmental impact. No agricultural sourcing concerns. Primary sustainability consideration is energy use in ammonia production via Haber-Bosch process.
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References
- PubChem Compound Summary for Ammonium carbonate CID 517111
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.
Report a data errorIngredient Data Sheet
CAS 506-87-6Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 96.09 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 299 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.0105 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Involatility Index | 0.0012💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | C(=O)([O-])[O-].[NH4+].[NH4+]🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Base💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Very slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 2.6 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| “the bicarbonate is not. Strong odor of Ammonia, somewhat alkaline taste.”📖 Arctander |
Flavor Notes (Arctander)
| “the bicarbonate is not. Strong odor of Ammonia, somewhat alkaline taste.”📖 Arctander |
Physical data: PubChem (NIH/NLM), U.S. EPA CompTox Dashboard, EPA OPERA models, RDKit. Odor & flavor: Arctander (Perfume & Flavor Chemicals), Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients, Leffingwell. Thresholds: van Gemert (Compilations of Odour Threshold Values). Regulatory: IFRA Standards 51st, FEMA GRAS. Trade names: Surburg (Common Fragrance & Flavor Materials). All data compiled and cross-referenced for perfumertools.com.
Physicochemical Properties
DTXSID: DTXSID5047457
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 96.086 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 1.387 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 299 °C📊 OPERA |
| Melting Point | 54.75 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | -0.13 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | -4.53 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | -6.43 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 6.37 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0.104 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.01 mmHg📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 136.19 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 2 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 3 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 17.37 cm^3/mol💻 Computed |
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.
