Linalyl propionate (CAS 144-39-8) — Floral Top to middle Note Fragrance Ingredient

Floral · Citrus

Linalyl propionate

CAS 144-39-8

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

What Is Linalyl propionate?

Linalyl propionate is a synthetic fragrance ingredient commonly found in perfumes, soaps, and household products. It adds a fresh, floral-fruity character reminiscent of bergamot and lavender. This ester is valued for its ability to enhance floral compositions while providing excellent stability in formulations.

Safety Profile

GENERALLY SAFE
Generally safeUse with awarenessProfessional use
IFRA approved with no restrictions
Not classified as an allergen
CAS
144-39-8
Formula
Mixture
MW
Variable
Odor Family
Floral · Citrus
Layer 1 · Enthusiast

What Does Linalyl propionate Smell Like?

Linalyl propionate opens with a bright, citrusy bergamot-like sparkle that quickly softens into a floral heart reminiscent of lavender and orange blossom. The dry-down reveals a subtle fruity sweetness akin to ripe peaches, with a clean woody-musky undertone that provides excellent tenacity. Compared to linalool, it’s rounder and more persistent, with a polished, almost candied floralcy that works beautifully in modern floral-fruity compositions.

Scent Profile

In Famous Fragrances

Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.

Chance Eau Tendre(Chanel, 2010)

Used here to amplify the grapefruit top note while smoothing the transition into the floral heart. Provides a luminous, fruity-floral effect that lasts through the dry-down.

Light Blue(Dolce & Gabbana, 2001)

Contributes to the crisp citrus-amber accord, adding persistence to the lemon note while preventing the composition from becoming too sharp.

Layer 2

2D Molecular Structure

3,7-Dimethylocta-1,6-dien-3-yl propanoate

SMILES: CCC(=O)OC(C)(CCC=C(C)C)C=C

Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide

The Chemistry

Linalyl propionate is an ester formed by the condensation of linalool and propionic acid. As a synthetic material, it’s typically produced via acid-catalyzed esterification under controlled conditions. The molecule features a tertiary alcohol group and an ester linkage, giving it both floral and fruity odor characteristics. Its stability against hydrolysis makes it particularly useful in alkaline formulations like soaps and detergents.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Boiling Point~220 °C (estimated)
Density~0.89 g/cm³ (estimated)

Perfumer Guide

Note Position
Top to middle
Volatility
Medium (2-4 hours)
Blending
Excellent
ApplicationTypical %RangeNotes
Fine Fragrance1-5%Up to 10%Floral-fruity modifier
Soap0.5-2%Up to 3%Stable in alkaline conditions

Classic Accords

+ Bergamot + Vanilla = Fruity-floral + Lavandin + Coumarin = Modern fougère

Tip: Use to extend citrus top notes while adding floral depth – particularly effective in citrus-floral hybrids.

Alternatives & Comparisons

1
Linalyl acetate CAS 115-95-7

More volatile with sharper bergamot character. Use when brighter top notes are needed.

2
Linalool CAS 78-70-6

The alcohol precursor – more floral but less tenacious and fruity.

Layer 3

Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability

⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer

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

IFRA Status

No IFRA restrictions (48th Amendment).

RIFM Assessment

Considered safe for current use levels based on RIFM assessment.

Sustainability

As a synthetic material, linalyl propionate offers consistent quality without natural sourcing constraints. Production typically uses bio-based linalool from sustainable pinene sources. The esterification process has relatively low environmental impact compared to some other synthetic routes.

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References

  1. Bauer et al. (2001). Common Fragrance and Flavor Materials. Wiley-VCH.

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

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Ingredient Data Sheet

CAS 144-39-8

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight210.31 g/mol🔬 PubChem
LogP (Octanol-Water)3.8🔬 PubChem
Boiling Point115 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
Vapor Pressure0.0413 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA
Flash Point101 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
Involatility Index0.0031💻 Calculated
log Kp (skin permeability)-1.285💻 Calculated
SMILESCCC(=O)OC(C)(CCC=C(C)C)C=C🔬 PubChem

Volatility & Performance

Fragrance NoteTop💻 Calculated
Volatility ClassVery slow💻 Calculated
Persistence Score2.9 / 5💻 Calculated

Odor & Flavor

Primary Descriptorsfloralfruityrosesweet• leffingwell
Functional Groupsesteretheralkene💻 RDKit
“Fruity-floral, fresh and very sweet Bergamot-Muguet-Pear-like odor of moderate tenacity.”📖 Arctander
Linalyl propionate has a sweet, floral odor reminiscent of bergamot oil and a sweet taste reminiscent of black currant (also pear and pineapple).📖 Fenaroli

Flavor Notes (Arctander)

“Sweet fruity taste, reminiscent of Pear and Pineapple. The ester finds use in flavor compositions, partly as a sweetener, partly as fruity back-”📖 Arctander

Regulatory Status

FEMA NumberFEMA 2645⚖️ FEMA GRAS
GRAS StatusGenerally Recognized as Safe⚖️ FEMA GRAS
IOFI ClassificationNature Identical📖 Fenaroli
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: DTXSID1047574

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight 210.317 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox
Density 0.895 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX
Boiling Point 223 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Melting Point -34.803 °C📊 OPERA
Flash Point 101 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Refractive Index 1.454 Dimensionless📊 OPERA
Molar Volume 235.163 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA

Partition & Solubility

LogP (Octanol-Water) 4.287 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogD (pH 5.5) 4.287 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogD (pH 7.4) 4.287 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogKoa (Octanol-Air) 5.81 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
Water Solubility 0 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX
Henry's Law Constant 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA

Transport Properties

Vapor Pressure 0.057 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX
Viscosity 1.612 cP📊 OPERA
Surface Tension 26.917 dyn/cm📊 OPERA
Thermal Conductivity 132.203 mW/(m*K)📊 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 63.643 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA
Polarizability 25.23 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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