Cedrene (CAS 469-61-4) — Woody Base Note Fragrance Ingredient
Cedrene
CAS 469-61-4
What Is Cedrene?
Cedrene is a naturally occurring sesquiterpene found in cedarwood oils, prized for its warm, woody aroma. You’ll encounter it in masculine colognes, home fragrances, and natural insect repellents. This molecule provides the foundational ‘dry wood’ character in many forest-inspired scents, evoking pencil shavings and aged cedar chests.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFE
What Does Cedrene Smell Like?
Cedrene delivers an intensely dry, pencil-like woodiness with subtle resinous undertones. The scent profile opens with crisp, almost camphoraceous top notes that quickly settle into a smooth, polished wood character reminiscent of cedar chests or freshly sharpened pencils. Over time, it develops faintly sweet, ambery facets that prevent the dryness from becoming harsh. In dry-down, it leaves a persistent woody trail with excellent tenacity, blending seamlessly with musks and amber materials.
Scent Profile
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Cedrene forms the woody backbone of this modern classic, combining with vetiver and flint to create its distinctive mineral-woody signature.
Here cedrene’s dry woodiness is amplified with sandalwood to recreate the scent of Buddhist temples and aged wooden statues.
Cedrene’s pencil-shaving quality is exaggerated in this stark fragrance, paired with inky vetiver for dramatic contrast.
Used sparingly to add dry wood texture beneath the creamy sandalwood and citrus top notes.
Cedrene provides the crisp, modern woodiness that balances the fruity bergamot opening in this cologne-inspired scent.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: [H][C@@]12CC[C@@H](C)[C@]11C[C@@H](C(C)=CC1)C2(C)C
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Cedrene is a bicyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon occurring naturally as both α- and β-isomers in cedarwood oils. The β-isomer (CAS 546-28-1) is more commonly used in perfumery. Industrially, it’s obtained through fractional distillation of Texas cedarwood oil (Juniperus mexicana) or synthesized from other terpenes. Its rigid molecular structure contributes to excellent stability and longevity in fragrance formulations. The molecule lacks polar functional groups, explaining its low water solubility and high substantivity on skin.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Boiling Point | 262-264 °C |
|---|---|
| Density | 0.931 g/cm³ |
| Refractive Index | 1.495-1.505 |
| Flash Point | >100 °C |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.01 mmHg at 25°C |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 1-5% | Up to 10% | Woody base note |
| Home Fragrance | 3-8% | Up to 15% | Long-lasting wood effect |
| Personal Care | 0.5-2% | Up to 3% | Scent longevity booster |
Classic Accords
+ Vetiver + Oakmoss = Chypre
+ Sandalwood + Amber = Woody Amber
Tip: Use cedrene to add dryness and lift to overly sweet woody bases – it cuts through vanillin-heavy accords effectively.
Alternatives & Comparisons
The oxygenated analog with softer, creamier wood character; better for floral-woody blends requiring less dryness.
Synthetic alternative with enhanced stability and more pronounced cedar character, though less natural-smelling.
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
Not restricted under current IFRA standards (as of 48th Amendment).
RIFM Assessment
RIFM evaluation confirms safe use at current industry levels with no significant sensitization risk.
Sustainability
While naturally derived from cedarwood oil, most commercial cedrene is now synthesized from turpentine derivatives to ensure consistent supply and reduce pressure on cedar forests. Synthetic production avoids the ecological impact of cedarwood oil distillation, which requires significant plant material. The molecule’s stability means it doesn’t contribute significantly to VOC emissions in finished products.
Explore Cedrene
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Industry & Science Data
References
- Bauer K. et al. (2001). Common Fragrance and Flavor Materials. Wiley-VCH.
- Arctander S. (1960). Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin.
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Mar 2026.
Ingredient Data Sheet
CAS 469-61-4Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 204.35 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 4.6🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 257 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.0093 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 99.5 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Involatility Index | 0.0007💻 Calculated |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -0.681💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | CC1CCC2C13CC=C(C(C3)C2(C)C)C🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Heart💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Very slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 4.6 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Functional Groups | alkene💻 RDKit |
Regulatory Status
| IFRA Listed | Yes — see IFRA Standards for category limits⚖️ IFRA 51 |
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: DTXSID0047032
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 204.357 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 0.924 g/cm^3📊 OPERA |
| Boiling Point | 259.288 °C📊 OPERA |
| Melting Point | 262.5 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 104.888 °C📊 OPERA |
| Refractive Index | 1.515 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 215.538 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 5.402 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 5.402 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 5.402 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 6.68 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0 mol/L📊 OPERA |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0.035 atm-m3/mole🔬 EPA CTX |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.022 mmHg📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 32.008 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 108.088 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 0 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 0 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 64.999 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 25.768 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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