Hexyl tiglate (CAS 16930-96-4) — Green Top to Middle Note Fragrance Ingredient

Green · Floral

Hexyl tiglate

CAS 16930-96-4

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

What Is Hexyl tiglate?

Hexyl tiglate is a synthetic fragrance ingredient that adds a fruity, green character to perfumes and personal care products. It’s often used in fine fragrances, body care items, and air fresheners. This ester contributes a fresh, slightly unripe fruit note that evolves into a more floral, leafy character over time. Perfumers value hexyl tiglate for its ability to bridge fruity and green accords, creating naturalistic impressions of just-picked fruits or dewy vegetation in modern fragrance compositions.

Safety Profile

GENERALLY SAFE
Generally safeUse with awarenessProfessional use
No significant restrictions
Monitor for skin sensitivity
CAS
16930-96-4
Formula
Mixture
MW
Variable
Odor Family
Green · Floral
Layer 1 · Enthusiast

What Does Hexyl tiglate Smell Like?

Hexyl tiglate bursts with the crispness of freshly snapped green stems and the tartness of underripe strawberries. The opening suggests crushed blackcurrant leaves and the white pith of citrus fruits, with a subtle tropical nuance reminiscent of unripe mango skin. As it develops, the scent softens into a floral-green character like magnolia blossoms touched by morning dew, with a faintly bitter edge that prevents cloying sweetness. The dry-down reveals a clean, slightly waxy texture similar to the after-scent of rubbing a geranium leaf between fingers, leaving a refined green trail that blends seamlessly with woody bases.

Scent Profile

In Famous Fragrances

Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.

Green Tea(Elizabeth Arden, 1999)

Used here to amplify the naturalistic ‘just-plucked’ tea leaf impression, hexyl tiglate adds dimension to the citrus top notes while preventing the floral heart from becoming too sweet.

Jean-Claude Ellena employs hexyl tiglate to create the illusion of rain-drenched vegetation, where its green fruit facets complement the ginger and cardamom spice accord.

L'Eau d'Issey(Issey Miyake, 1992)

This aquatic classic uses hexyl tiglate sparingly to bridge the melon and lotus notes, contributing to the fragrance’s signature dewy freshness without overt fruitiness.

Light Blue(Dolce & Gabbana, 2001)

The perfumers leveraged hexyl tiglate’s green character to ground the bright citrus opening, creating the illusion of apple skins still clinging to their tartness.

Chance Eau Fraîche(Chanel, 2007)

Here hexyl tiglate works in concert with pink pepper to produce a crisp, almost salty green effect that prevents the floral heart from becoming too powdery.

Layer 2

2D Molecular Structure

Hexyl (2E)-2-methylbut-2-enoate

SMILES: CCCCCCOC(=O)C(\C)=C\C

Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide

The Chemistry

Hexyl tiglate is an ester formed from tiglic acid and hexanol, belonging to the class of aliphatic esters that frequently contribute green and fruity notes in perfumery. The molecule features a trans-configured double bond in the tiglate moiety, which is crucial for its characteristic odor profile. Industrial synthesis typically involves acid-catalyzed esterification under controlled conditions to prevent isomerization. Unlike some fruit esters that require chiral synthesis, hexyl tiglate’s odor impact comes primarily from its geometric isomerism rather than optical activity, making it relatively straightforward to produce at scale with consistent quality.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Boiling PointData not available
DensityData not available

Perfumer Guide

Note Position
Top to Middle
Volatility
Moderate (2-4 hours)
Blending
Very good
ApplicationTypical %RangeNotes
Fine Fragrance0.5-2%Up to 5%Green modifier for fruity-floral compositions
Body Care0.1-0.5%Up to 1%Adds freshness to shower gels and lotions
Functional Products0.05-0.2%Up to 0.5%Used in detergents for clean green effects
Air Care0.3-1%Up to 2%Contributes to outdoor fresh and linen accords

Classic Accords

+ Galbanum + Grapefruit = Modern Chypre + Calone + Melonal = Aquatic Fantasy + Cassis Base + Rose Oxide = Deconstructed Rose

Tip: Use hexyl tiglate to ‘green up’ fruity bases without adding excessive sweetness or compromising tenacity.

Alternatives & Comparisons

1
Hexyl acetate CAS 142-92-7

When a simpler, more straightforward fruity note is needed without the green complexity of hexyl tiglate.

2
Cis-3-Hexenyl tiglate CAS 67883-79-8

For a more intense leafy-green character with greater diffusion power in top notes.

3
Allyl tiglate CAS 7493-71-2

When a sharper, more pungent green effect is desired, especially in masculine fougères.

Layer 3

Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability

⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer

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

IFRA Status

No current IFRA restrictions. Listed as safe for use in all categories at standard concentrations.

RIFM Assessment

RIFM assessment confirms safe use at current industry levels with no significant sensitization potential.

Sustainability

As a synthetic material, hexyl tiglate production avoids agricultural land use but requires petrochemical feedstocks. Modern manufacturing processes typically achieve high atom economy with minimal waste. The material’s potency means relatively small quantities are needed in formulations, reducing overall environmental load compared to some natural alternatives requiring large-scale cultivation.

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References

  1. Bauer, K. et al. (2001). Common Fragrance and Flavor Materials. Wiley-VCH. ISBN 978-3-527-30364-6

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

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Physicochemical Properties

DTXSID: DTXSID5051783

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight 184.279 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox
Density 0.9 g/cm^3📊 OPERA
Boiling Point 233.036 °C📊 OPERA
Melting Point -26.714 °C📊 OPERA
Flash Point 101.983 °C📊 OPERA
Refractive Index 1.441 Dimensionless📊 OPERA
Molar Volume 207.008 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA

Partition & Solubility

LogP (Octanol-Water) 4.158 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogD (pH 5.5) 4.158 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogD (pH 7.4) 4.158 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogKoa (Octanol-Air) 5.87 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
Water Solubility 0.001 mol/L📊 OPERA
Henry's Law Constant 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA

Transport Properties

Vapor Pressure 0.055 mmHg📊 OPERA
Surface Tension 28.394 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 54.686 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA
Polarizability 21.679 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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