Menthone (CAS 89-80-5) — Green Heart Note Fragrance Ingredient
Menthone
CAS 89-80-5
What Is Menthone?
Menthone is a naturally occurring ketone found in peppermint and other mint oils. You’ll recognize its cooling, minty character in chewing gums, toothpaste, and some herbal fragrances. This molecule contributes to the crisp, refreshing quality of mint without being as intensely cooling as menthol. It matters because it provides perfumers with a versatile mint note that bridges herbal and woody accords, making it useful in everything from fougères to modern citrus fragrances.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFE
What Does Menthone Smell Like?
Menthone greets the nose with an invigorating minty freshness, like crushed peppermint leaves under morning dew. The initial burst evolves into a drier, herbal character with subtle woody undertones—imagine a sun-warmed mint patch bordering a cedar grove. Unlike menthol’s intense cooling, menthone offers a more balanced mint profile that lingers as a clean, slightly camphoraceous whisper. In drydown, it leaves a trace of green astringency that works beautifully with citrus or woody notes.
Scent Profile
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Menthone forms the crisp backbone of this modern fougère, paired with patchouli for a mint-chocolate effect that’s sophisticated rather than candied.
Used sparingly here to enhance the aquatic freshness, adding a barely perceptible minty lift to the lavender and rosemary heart.
Menthone’s natural mint character is amplified with green tea in this photorealistic interpretation of freshly picked mint leaves.
Provides cooling contrast to warm spices, creating a dynamic push-pull effect in this barbershop-inspired composition.
A trace of menthone works with citrus to simulate the crispness of alpine air in this iconic fresh fragrance.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CC(C)[C@@H]1CC[C@@H](C)CC1=O
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Menthone (C10H18O) is a monoterpenoid ketone with two stereoisomers: the more common (-)-menthone and (+)-isomenthone. Naturally abundant in Mentha species, it’s typically isolated via fractional distillation of peppermint oil or synthesized from pulegone. Industrial production often involves the catalytic hydrogenation of thymol or oxidation of menthol. The molecule’s bicyclic structure and ketone group contribute to its moderate volatility and ability to form hydrogen bonds, explaining its persistence compared to simpler mint compounds.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Boiling Point | 207-210 °C |
|---|---|
| Density | 0.895 g/cm³ |
| Refractive Index | 1.448-1.452 |
| Flash Point | 76 °C |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.16 mmHg at 25°C |
| Appearance | Colorless to pale yellow liquid |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 0.5-3% | Up to 5% | Adds fresh lift without overpowering |
| Oral Care | 1-5% | Up to 10% | Key for authentic mint flavor |
| Functional Products | 0.1-1% | Up to 2% | Provides subtle cooling in deodorants |
| Candles | 0.5-2% | Up to 3% | Creates herbal freshness when heated |
Classic Accords
+ Lavender + Coumarin = Modern Fougère
+ Grapefruit + Galbanum = Bracing Citrus
+ Vanilla + Amber = Mint-Chocolate
Tip: Use menthone to ‘cool down’ warm spice blends—it tames cinnamon’s heat while maintaining vibrancy.
Alternatives & Comparisons
Stereoisomer with slightly woodier profile; useful when a less mint-forward character is desired while maintaining cooling effects.
Provides similar minty freshness but with caraway/spearmint nuances; better for applications requiring more sweetness.
More intense mint-camphor character but restricted by IFRA; use only where regulations permit.
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 restrictions under current IFRA standards (as of 49th Amendment).
GHS Classification
H319 Causes serious eye irritation
RIFM Assessment
RIFM assessment confirms safe use at current industry levels with no evidence of sensitization at typical fragrance concentrations.
Sustainability
Most commercial menthone is derived as a byproduct of menthol production from renewable peppermint crops. Synthetic routes using bio-based feedstocks are becoming more common, reducing agricultural land use. As a relatively simple molecule, its production has low environmental impact compared to complex fragrance ingredients.
Explore Menthone
Browse essential oils and aroma compounds.
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Industry & Science Data
References
- Burdock, G.A. (2010). Fenaroli’s Handbook of Flavor Ingredients. CRC Press. ISBN 9781420090869
- PubChem Compound Summary for Menthone CID 26447
- Sell, C. (2006). The Chemistry of Fragrances. RSC Publishing. ISBN 9780854048243
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Mar 2026.
Ingredient Data Sheet
CAS 89-80-5Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 154.25 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 2.7🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 210 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.27 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 72 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Involatility Index | 0.0234💻 Calculated |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -1.724💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | CC1CCC(C(=O)C1)C(C)C🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Heart💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 1 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Primary Descriptors | freshgreen• leffingwell |
| Functional Groups | ketone💻 RDKit |
| “Minty-refreshing and diffusive odor of moderate tenacity and slightly woody-dry undertones.”📖 Arctander | |
| Menthone has a characteristic mint-like odor.📖 Fenaroli | |
Flavor Notes (Arctander)
| “Refreshingly cool, but also unpleasantly bitter taste in dilutions of 10 to 50 ppm. Menthone is also used in flavor compositions, not only in Mint complexes, but in traces in fruit blends, particularly in imitation Raspberry, where it gives good lift and freshness in the otherwise oversweet composit”📖 Arctander |
Regulatory Status
| FEMA Number | FEMA 2667⚖️ FEMA GRAS |
| GRAS Status | Generally Recognized as Safe⚖️ FEMA GRAS |
| 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: DTXSID2044478
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 154.253 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 0.938 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 209.773 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | -6 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 71.773 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.443 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 175.053 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 2.741 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 3.102 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 3.102 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 4.85 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0.004 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole🔬 EPA CTX |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.274 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Viscosity | 2.597 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 28.094 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 124.604 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 17.07 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 0 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 1 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 1 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 46.374 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 18.384 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.
