Farnesal (CAS 19317-11-4) — Green Top to middle Note Fragrance Ingredient
Farnesal
CAS 19317-11-4
What Is Farnesal?
Farnesal is a synthetic fragrance ingredient used in fine perfumery. It contributes to green, floral, and citrusy accords. You’ll encounter it in high-end perfumes and some personal care products. Farnesal matters because it adds a fresh, dewy quality to fragrances, mimicking aspects of natural floral scents without relying on botanical extracts.
Safety Profile
USE WITH AWARENESSWhat Does Farnesal Smell Like?
Farnesal opens with a crisp green character reminiscent of crushed leaves and fresh-cut stems. The heart reveals a delicate floralcy akin to lily-of-the-valley with citrus undertones. As it dries down, it maintains a clean, slightly soapy quality with subtle woody nuances. The overall effect is fresh and dewy, like morning air in a flower garden.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CC(C)=CCCC(C)=CCCC(C)=CC=O
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Farnesal is an aldehyde belonging to the sesquiterpene class. While not found abundantly in nature, it shares structural similarities with compounds found in floral absolutes. Industrially produced through oxidation of farnesol or synthesized from isoprene units. The molecule’s aldehyde group contributes to its reactivity and fresh olfactory character.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Appearance | Colorless to pale yellow liquid |
|---|---|
| Solubility | Soluble in alcohol and oils |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 0.5-2% | Up to 5% | Adds green floralcy |
| Personal Care | 0.1-0.5% | Up to 1% | Freshness booster |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use in trace amounts to brighten floral compositions without overwhelming.
Alternatives & Comparisons
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.
IFRA Status
No IFRA restrictions currently apply to Farnesal (as of Amendment 49).
RIFM Assessment
RIFM has evaluated Farnesal and found it safe for current usage levels in fragrance applications.
Sustainability
As a synthetic material, Farnesal production avoids agricultural land use. However, its synthesis requires petrochemical feedstocks. Manufacturers are exploring bio-based routes using fermentation-derived intermediates to improve sustainability profiles.
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Ingredient Data Sheet
CAS 19317-11-4Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 220.35 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 4.9🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 302.2 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.0017 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 109.8 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Involatility Index | 0.0001💻 Calculated |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -0.565💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | CC(=CCCC(=CCCC(=CC=O)C)C)C🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Base💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Very slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 6.7 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Functional Groups | aldehydealkene💻 RDKit |
| “Very mild, sweet-oily, slightly woody, tenacious odor.”📖 Arctander | |
| 3,7,11-Trimethyl-2,6,10-dodecatrienal has a characteristic fresh-flowery, aldehydic fragrance. This compound is also reported to have a floral or minty aroma.📖 Fenaroli | |
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: DTXSID80862062
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 220.356 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 0.895 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 302.2 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | 16.7 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 109.776 °C📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 4.605 dimensionless💻 Computed |
| Water Solubility | 0 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.002 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Viscosity | 2.838 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 24.538 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 132.756 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 | 7 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 71.48 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.
