Helional (CAS 1205-17-0) — Floral Heart Note Fragrance Ingredient

ByThe Good Scents




Helional

CAS 1205-17-0

Origin
Note
IFRA
Generally safe
Data as of: Mar 2026

What Is Helional?

Helional is a synthetic fragrance ingredient commonly used in perfumes and household products. It imparts a fresh, marine-like scent reminiscent of ocean breezes. This versatile molecule helps create modern aquatic and floral fragrances, making it popular in body washes, detergents, and air fresheners.

Safety Profile

GENERALLY SAFE

Generally safeUse with awarenessProfessional use
✓ Safe in regulated products
⚠ Potential skin sensitizer at high concentrations
CAS
1205-17-0
Formula
Mixture
MW
Variable
Odor Family
Layer 1 · Enthusiast

What Does Helional Smell Like?

Helional opens with a crisp, ozonic burst like sea spray hitting sun-warmed rocks. The heart reveals a clean linen quality with subtle watermelon rind freshness. As it dries down, it leaves a lingering marine musk reminiscent of damp driftwood. The overall effect is like a seaside breeze cutting through floral arrangements – simultaneously natural and synthetic in character.

Scent Profile

In Famous Fragrances

Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.

L’Eau d’Issey(Issey Miyake, 1992)

Helional provides the signature aquatic freshness that made this fragrance revolutionary, blending with lotus and cyclamen to create its watery floral effect.

Cool Water(Davidoff, 1988)

Used alongside calone to build the modern aquatic masculine archetype, giving the perfume its distinctive fresh shower effect.

Layer 2

2D Molecular Structure

3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal

SMILES: CC(CC1=CC2=C(OCO2)C=C1)C=O

Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide

The Chemistry

Helional (3-(4-isopropylphenyl)-2-methylpropanal) is an aromatic aldehyde. It’s produced synthetically through Friedel-Crafts acylation followed by reduction. The molecule’s structure features an isopropylbenzene core with an aldehyde side chain, giving it both volatility and tenacity. Its chiral center means different enantiomers may have slightly different olfactory properties, though typically used as a racemic mixture in perfumery.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Boiling Point 250 °C
Density 0.95 g/cm³
Vapor Pressure 0.01 mmHg at 25°C

Perfumer Guide

Note Position
Top to Middle
Volatility
Medium (2-4 hours)
Blending
Excellent
Application Typical % Range Notes
Fine Fragrance 1-3% Up to 5% Aquatic fresh effects
Functional Products 0.1-0.5% Up to 1% Clean laundry effects

Classic Accords

+ Calone = Modern Aquatic
+ Hedione = Transparent Floral

Tip: Use with citrus top notes to enhance freshness or with white musks to extend marine character.

Alternatives & Comparisons

1
Melonal CAS 106-72-9

For stronger watermelon-cantaloupe effects while maintaining similar fresh character.

2
Floralozone CAS 67634-15-5

When more ozonic power and less marine character is desired.

Layer 3

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. Approved for all applications.

EU Allergen Declaration

Not listed as EU allergen.

GHS Classification

H315
H319

RIFM Assessment

RIFM assessment confirms safe use at current industry levels.

Sustainability

As a synthetic material, Helional has consistent quality without natural sourcing variations. Production uses standard petrochemical feedstocks with moderate energy requirements. Biodegradability studies show acceptable environmental profile at usage concentrations.

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Industry & Science Data

Odor Detection Threshold
0.0010 ppb
in air (orthonasal)
Ref: Kraft et al., Chemistry & Biodiversity (2000)
Commercial Price
$50–$100/kg
synthetic grade, bulk market
Indicative 2024 pricing. Varies by purity & volume.
Are you a producer or supplier of Helional? Contact us to be featured.

References

  1. Bickers et al. (2003). Safety assessment of aryl alkyl aldehydes. Food and Chemical Toxicology. PMID 12804648
  2. PubChem Helional PubChem CID

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

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Ingredient Data Sheet

CAS 1205-17-0

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight192.21 g/mol🔬 PubChem
LogP (Octanol-Water)2.2🔬 PubChem
Boiling Point294.9 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
Vapor Pressure0.0007 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA
Flash Point144.3 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
Involatility Index0.0001💻 Calculated
log Kp (skin permeability)-2.31💻 Calculated
SMILESCC(CC1=CC2=C(C=C1)OCO2)C=O🔬 PubChem

Volatility & Performance

Fragrance NoteBase💻 Calculated
Volatility ClassVery slow💻 Calculated
Persistence Score5.3 / 5💻 Calculated

Odor & Flavor

Primary Descriptorsfloralgreenhaymelon• leffingwell
Functional Groupsaldehydeetheraromatic💻 RDKit

Sensory Thresholds

Odor Detection Threshold0.9326 ppm (n=5)📖 van Gemert

Regulatory Status

IFRA ListedYes — see IFRA Standards for category limits⚖️ IFRA 51
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: DTXSID7043908

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight 192.214 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox
Density 1.161 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX
Boiling Point 294.925 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Melting Point 63.669 °C📊 OPERA
Flash Point 144.259 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Refractive Index 1.538 Dimensionless📊 OPERA
Molar Volume 164.137 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA

Partition & Solubility

LogP (Octanol-Water) 2.4 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX
LogD (pH 5.5) 1.963 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogD (pH 7.4) 1.963 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogKoa (Octanol-Air) 6.72 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
Water Solubility 0.005 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX
Henry's Law Constant 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA

Transport Properties

Vapor Pressure 0.001 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX
Viscosity 4.142 cP📊 OPERA
Surface Tension 44.977 dyn/cm📊 OPERA
Thermal Conductivity 136.304 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA

Molecular Descriptors

Topological Polar Surface Area 35.53 Ų💻 Computed
H-Bond Donors 0 count💻 Computed
H-Bond Acceptors 3 count💻 Computed
Rotatable Bonds 3 count💻 Computed
Aromatic Rings 1 count💻 Computed
Molar Refractivity 51.375 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA
Polarizability 20.367 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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