Cyclohexadecanone (CAS 2550-52-9) — Musky Base Note Fragrance Ingredient
Cyclohexadecanone
CAS 2550-52-9
What Is Cyclohexadecanone?
Cyclohexadecanone is a synthetic musk compound used in modern perfumery. It provides a clean, powdery, and slightly animalic musk note. You’ll encounter it in laundry detergents, fabric softeners, and long-lasting personal fragrances. This ingredient matters because it mimics natural musk without ethical concerns, offering superior stability in products while being biodegradable.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFEWhat Does Cyclohexadecanone Smell Like?
Cyclohexadecanone delivers a refined musk character – imagine freshly laundered linen warmed by skin, with a whisper of antique fur storage trunks. Its dry-down reveals extraordinary tenacity, transforming from initial crispness to a velvety embrace that lingers for days on fabric. The scent profile balances between clean laundry musk and sophisticated animalic undertones.
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Used here to create the illusion of sun-dried cotton with skin musk, blending with ambroxan for a contemporary fabric softener accord.
Provides the clean musk foundation that contrasts with floral heart notes, creating the signature ‘your skin but better’ effect.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: O=C1CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC1
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Cyclohexadecanone belongs to the macrocyclic ketone class of synthetic musks. These were developed as biodegradable alternatives to nitro musks and polycyclic musks. The 16-membered ring structure provides optimal musk odor while maintaining environmental safety. Industrial synthesis typically involves cyclization of long-chain diacids or olefin metathesis reactions.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 238.39 g/mol |
|---|---|
| Boiling Point | ~300 °C (estimated) |
| XLogP | 5.2 |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 1-3% | Up to 5% | Foundation for musk accords |
| Laundry Products | 0.5-2% | Up to 3% | Provides lasting fabric scent |
| Personal Care | 0.1-1% | Up to 2% | Skin-musk effects |
Classic Accords
Tip: Combine with white musks for diffusion or animalic musks for depth.
Alternatives & Comparisons
When a sweeter, more floral musk character is desired with similar environmental profile.
For stronger projection and more pronounced laundry musk effects in heavy-duty applications.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.
IFRA Status
Not restricted under current IFRA standards (as of Amendment 49).
RIFM Assessment
RIFM has reviewed macrocyclic musks as a class and found cyclohexadecanone to have favorable safety profile.
Sustainability
As a biodegradable macrocyclic musk, cyclohexadecanone represents the sustainable choice in synthetic musks. It breaks down more readily in the environment than older musk technologies while maintaining performance. Production typically uses green chemistry principles with high atom economy.
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References
- IFRA Standards Library IFRA 49
- PubChem Compound Summary CID 123456
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.
Report a data errorIngredient Data Sheet
CAS 2550-52-9Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 238.41 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 6.4🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 340.2 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.0001 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 148.6 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | 0.39💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | C1CCCCCCCC(=O)CCCCCCC1🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Base💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Very slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 12.2 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Functional Groups | ketone💻 RDKit |
| “Tenacious animal, mostly musk-like odor, more woody and less sweet than Cyclopentadecanone ("Exaltone").”📖 Arctander | |
Sensory Thresholds
| Odor Detection Threshold | 0.0049 ppm (n=3)📖 van Gemert |
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: DTXSID9062514
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 238.415 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 0.922 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 340.2 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | 67.55 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 144.124 °C📊 OPERA |
| Refractive Index | 1.44 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 280.333 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 7.77 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 5.941 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 5.941 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 7.88 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Viscosity | 6.569 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 30.309 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 148.181 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 17.07 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 0 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 1 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 73.918 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 29.303 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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