Geranyl crotonate (CAS 56172-46-4) — Sweet Middle Note Fragrance Ingredient
Geranyl crotonate
CAS 56172-46-4
What Is Geranyl crotonate?
Geranyl crotonate is a synthetic fragrance ingredient used in perfumes and scented products. It’s valued for its fruity, floral character with a tropical twist. You’ll encounter it in body care products, fine fragrances, and home scents. This ester brings a sophisticated fruity-floral dimension to compositions. It’s particularly useful for creating modern tropical accords without being overly sweet or cloying.
Safety Profile
USE WITH AWARENESSWhat Does Geranyl crotonate Smell Like?
Geranyl crotonate opens with a burst of ripe tropical fruits – imagine mango and passionfruit dancing with juicy peach. The heart reveals a floral sophistication, like gardenias dipped in honey, with a subtle green stemminess that prevents cloying sweetness. As it dries down, it leaves a delicate woody-musky trail reminiscent of sun-warmed tropical woods. The evolution is remarkably persistent for a fruity note, transitioning smoothly from bright top notes to a creamy, almost lactonic base that blends beautifully with sandalwood and musk accords.
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Used as the fruity-floral backbone, providing longevity to what would normally be fleeting tropical notes. The crotonate esterification gives superior stability in alcohol bases compared to simple geraniol derivatives.
Forms a sun-kissed tropical accord with hedione and calone, where the crotonate’s musky dry-down bridges the marine and floral elements seamlessly.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CC=CC(=O)OC\C=C(/C)CCC=C(C)C
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Geranyl crotonate is an ester formed from geraniol and crotonic acid. The esterification process typically involves acid-catalyzed condensation. The crotonate moiety introduces greater stability compared to simpler geranyl esters, resisting hydrolysis in both the product matrix and on skin. This synthetic route allows precise control over stereochemistry, typically producing the trans-isomer which has superior olfactory properties. The molecule’s moderate polarity and XLogP around 3.5 make it versatile in both alcohol and oil-based formulations.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Appearance | Colorless to pale yellow liquid |
|---|---|
| Boiling Point | ~280 °C (estimated) |
| Density | ~0.89 g/cm³ (estimated) |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 0.5-2% | Up to 5% | Tropical floral modifier |
| Body Care | 0.1-0.5% | Up to 1% | Adds sophistication to fruity notes |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use with ionones to create sophisticated fruity-floral effects that avoid juvenile candy-like associations.
Alternatives & Comparisons
For brighter, fresher applications where less sweetness is desired. Lacks the tropical depth of the crotonate.
When more rosy-floral character is needed. The tiglate ester has greater tenacity but less fruity nuance.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.
IFRA Status
No specific restrictions under IFRA standards. General ester guidelines apply.
EU Allergen Declaration
Not listed as an EU allergen. Contains no mandatory declaration components.
RIFM Assessment
RIFM evaluation pending. Preliminary data suggests safe use at current industry levels.
Sustainability
As a synthetic material, geranyl crotonate avoids agricultural land use. The synthesis can utilize bio-based geraniol from sustainable sources. Manufacturing typically employs green chemistry principles with high atom economy. Waste streams are minimal and easily managed.
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References
- Bauer et al. (2001). Modern Ester Fragrance Materials. Perfumer & Flavorist.
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.
Report a data errorPhysicochemical Properties
DTXSID: DTXSID40884705
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 222.328 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 0.91 g/cm^3📊 OPERA |
| Boiling Point | 282.084 °C📊 OPERA |
| Melting Point | 6.674 °C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 128.757 °C📊 OPERA |
| Refractive Index | 1.475 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 243.559 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 4.363 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 4.363 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 4.363 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 7.06 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0 mol/L📊 OPERA |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.014 mmHg📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 28.175 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 26.3 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 0 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 2 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 6 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 68.543 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 27.172 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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