(+/-)-Dihydrofarnesol (CAS 51411-24-6) — Floral Middle Note Fragrance Ingredient

ByThe Good Scents
Floral · Sweet

(+/-)-Dihydrofarnesol

CAS 51411-24-6

Origin
synthetic
Note
Middle
IFRA
Generally safe
Data as of: Apr 2026

What Is (+/-)-Dihydrofarnesol?

(+/-)-Dihydrofarnesol is a synthetic fragrance ingredient used to add floral and citrus nuances to perfumes and personal care products. It’s commonly found in body washes, shampoos, and fine fragrances. This versatile material helps create fresh, clean scent profiles while enhancing the performance of other floral ingredients in modern fragrance compositions.

Safety Profile

GENERALLY SAFE
Generally safeUse with awarenessProfessional use
✓ No significant safety concerns at typical usage levels
⚠ Limited toxicological data available
CAS
51411-24-6
Formula
Mixture
MW
Variable
Odor Family
Floral · Sweet
Layer 1 · Enthusiast

What Does (+/-)-Dihydrofarnesol Smell Like?

Dihydrofarnesol presents a delicate floral character with subtle citrus undertones, reminiscent of lily-of-the-valley petals brushed with lemon zest. The scent evolves from a bright, slightly green opening to a soft floral heart that lingers with a clean, soapy dry-down. Its tenacity is moderate, serving as a bridge between top and middle notes in compositions. The racemic mixture offers balanced floralcy without the sharpness found in some farnesol derivatives.

Scent Profile
Layer 2

2D Molecular Structure

2,3-Dihydrofarnesol

SMILES: CC(CCO)CCC=C(C)CCC=C(C)C

Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide

The Chemistry

Dihydrofarnesol is a sesquiterpenoid alcohol, structurally related to farnesol but with reduced double bonds. The racemic (+/-) form is commonly used in fragrance applications. It’s produced synthetically through hydrogenation of farnesol or via chemical synthesis from simpler terpene precursors. The molecule lacks chirality centers in its reduced form, making the racemic mixture identical in odor profile to either enantiomer.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Perfumer Guide

Note Position
Middle
Volatility
Medium (2-4 hours)
Blending
Good
ApplicationTypical %RangeNotes
Fine Fragrance1-3%Up to 5%Floral modifier
Personal Care0.5-2%Up to 3%Clean floral effect

Classic Accords

Tip: Use to soften harsh floral notes and add diffusion to citrus-heavy compositions.

Alternatives & Comparisons

1
Farnesol CAS 4602-84-0

More pronounced floral character with greater tenacity, but may cause skin sensitivity in some individuals.

Layer 3

Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability

⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer

General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.

IFRA Status

Not currently restricted by IFRA standards.

RIFM Assessment

No specific RIFM assessment found for this material.

Sustainability

As a synthetic material, dihydrofarnesol production avoids natural resource depletion. Modern synthesis routes aim for atom economy and reduced solvent use. Being petroleum-derived, its environmental impact depends on manufacturing practices and energy sources used in production.

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References

    Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.

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    Ingredient Data Sheet

    CAS 51411-24-6

    Physical Properties

    Molecular Weight224.38 g/mol🔬 PubChem
    LogP (Octanol-Water)5.1🔬 PubChem
    Boiling Point297 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
    Vapor Pressure0.0025 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA
    Flash Point118.9 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
    Involatility Index0.0002💻 Calculated
    log Kp (skin permeability)-0.448💻 Calculated
    SMILESCC(CCC=C(C)CCC=C(C)C)CCO🔬 PubChem

    Volatility & Performance

    Fragrance NoteBase💻 Calculated
    Volatility ClassVery slow💻 Calculated
    Persistence Score6.4 / 5💻 Calculated

    Odor & Flavor

    Primary Descriptorsfloral• leffingwell
    Functional Groupsalcoholalkene💻 RDKit
    Data Sources & Attribution
    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: DTXSID40885954

    Physical Properties

    Molecular Weight 224.388 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox
    Density 0.858 g/cm^3📊 OPERA
    Boiling Point 300.096 °C📊 OPERA
    Melting Point 31.529 °C📊 OPERA
    Flash Point 111.896 °C📊 OPERA
    Refractive Index 1.47 Dimensionless📊 OPERA
    Molar Volume 260.851 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA

    Partition & Solubility

    LogP (Octanol-Water) 5.111 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
    LogD (pH 5.5) 5.111 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
    LogD (pH 7.4) 5.111 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
    LogKoa (Octanol-Air) 8.84 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
    Water Solubility 0 mol/L📊 OPERA
    Henry's Law Constant 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA

    Transport Properties

    Vapor Pressure 0.001 mmHg📊 OPERA
    Viscosity 11.948 cP📊 OPERA
    Surface Tension 28.532 dyn/cm📊 OPERA
    Thermal Conductivity 145.589 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA

    Molecular Descriptors

    Topological Polar Surface Area 20.23 Ų💻 Computed
    H-Bond Donors 1 count💻 Computed
    H-Bond Acceptors 1 count💻 Computed
    Rotatable Bonds 8 count💻 Computed
    Aromatic Rings 0 count💻 Computed
    Molar Refractivity 72.836 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA
    Polarizability 28.875 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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