Geraniol (CAS 106-24-1) — Floral Heart Note Fragrance Ingredient
Geraniol
CAS 106-24-1
What Is Geraniol?
Geraniol is a naturally occurring alcohol found in rose oil, citronella, and many other essential oils. It’s what gives roses their characteristic sweet floral scent and is widely used in perfumes, soaps, and flavorings. This ingredient matters because it’s one of the fundamental building blocks of floral fragrances, creating both fresh top notes and lasting floral heart accords.
Safety Profile
USE WITH AWARENESS
What Does Geraniol Smell Like?
Geraniol bursts with the lush sweetness of Turkish rose petals dipped in honey, carrying subtle citrus undertones reminiscent of peeled tangerine zest. The initial brightness mellows into a velvety floral heart that lingers like rosewater on warm skin. Unlike sharper floral compounds, geraniol maintains a rounded softness throughout its evolution, never becoming cloying. In dry-down, it leaves a delicate trail of dewy rose with whispers of ripe peach skin.
Scent Profile
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Provides the rosy floral core that balances aldehydic sparkle with jasmine richness, creating the timeless floral bouquet.
Geraniol’s honeyed rose facets amplify the chypre structure, bridging citrus top notes to oakmoss base.
Forms the rosy backbone that unites jasmine and tuberose into a cohesive floral symphony.
Geraniol’s citrus-tinged rose character modernizes the rose accord with unexpected freshness.
Provides the candied rose effect that contrasts with dark patchouli and incense.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CC(C)=CCC\C(C)=C\CO
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Geraniol is an acyclic monoterpenoid alcohol (C10H18O) that exists naturally as both (E)- and (Z)-isomers. The (E)-isomer predominates in nature, particularly in rose and palmarosa oils. Industrially produced through fractional distillation of essential oils or synthesized from pinene derivatives. Its hydroxyl group makes it moderately polar, while the terpene backbone contributes volatility. The molecule’s flexibility allows it to adopt multiple conformations, influencing its odor profile in different fragrance contexts.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Boiling Point | 229-230 °C |
|---|---|
| Density | 0.889 g/cm³ |
| Refractive Index | 1.476-1.482 |
| Flash Point | 101 °C |
| Solubility | 1 g/L in water, miscible in alcohol |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 2-5% | Up to 10% | Core floral modifier |
| Soap | 0.5-2% | Up to 3% | Stable in alkaline conditions |
| Candles | 1-3% | Up to 5% | Good hot throw |
| Flavorings | 10-50 ppm | Up to 100 ppm | GRAS status |
Classic Accords
+ Linalool + Nerol = Floral Bouquet
+ Eugenol + Cinnamaldehyde = Spiced Rose
Tip: Combine with citronellol (3:1 ratio) to create a more natural rose effect than either component alone.
Alternatives & Comparisons
Less sweet, more citrusy alternative when a fresher rose character is desired. Higher odor threshold.
For deeper, honeyed rose effects with greater tenacity but less top-note freshness.
Complex alternative with additional citrus and woody nuances from its chiral centers.
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
No IFRA restrictions. Listed on IFRA Transparency List.
EU Allergen Declaration
Must be declared when present at ≥0.001% in leave-on products or ≥0.01% in rinse-off products (EU Regulation No. 1223/2009).
GHS Classification
H319 Eye irritation
RIFM Assessment
RIFM evaluation confirms safe use at current industry levels. No evidence of phototoxicity or sensitization at approved concentrations.
Sustainability
Natural geraniol is primarily sourced from renewable citronella and rose crops, though synthetic production reduces agricultural pressure. The synthetic route from β-pinene is atom-efficient with minimal waste. Biocatalytic production methods are being developed using engineered yeast strains for more sustainable production.
Explore Geraniol
Browse essential oils and aroma compounds.
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Industry & Science Data
References
- Bickers et al. (2003). A toxicologic and dermatologic assessment of linalool and related esters. Food Chem Toxicol. PMID 12804649
- Bauer et al. (2001). Common Fragrance and Flavor Materials. Wiley-VCH.
- PubChem Geraniol CID 637566
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Mar 2026.
Ingredient Data Sheet
CAS 106-24-1Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 154.25 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 2.9🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 230 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.03 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 42.2 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Involatility Index | 0.0026💻 Calculated |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -1.582💻 Calculated |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Heart💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Very slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 2.6 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Primary Descriptors | floralrosesweet• leffingwell |
| Geraniol has a characteristic rose-like odor. The physical constants vary for the various commercial products, depending on the total geraniol content; specific gravity and refractive index may be indicative of the purity of the product. Commercial geraniol cannot be classified according to its alcohol content, as most of the recurring impurities are alcoholic in nature (nerol, citronellol, tetrahydrogeraniol). Gas chromatography techniques may be usefully employed to determine the geraniol content in a product.📖 Fenaroli | |
Sensory Thresholds
| Odor Detection Threshold | 0.0632 ppm (n=13)📖 van Gemert |
Regulatory Status
| IFRA Listed | Yes — see IFRA Standards for category limits⚖️ IFRA 51 |
| EU Annex III | Listed (restricted)⚖️ IFRA 51 |
| IOFI Classification | Nature Identical📖 Fenaroli |
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: DTXSID8026727
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 154.253 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 0.883 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 229.556 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | -7.778 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 96.948 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.471 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 177.941 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 3.29 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 3.491 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 3.491 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 7.65 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0.003 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole🔬 EPA CTX |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.042 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Viscosity | 3.178 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 27.866 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 141.229 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 | 4 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 49.714 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 19.708 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.
