Nerolidol (CAS 7212-44-4) — Floral Heart Note Fragrance Ingredient
Nerolidol
CAS 7212-44-4
What Is Nerolidol?
Nerolidol is a naturally occurring terpene alcohol found in many essential oils like neroli, jasmine, and ginger. You’ll encounter it in perfumes, skincare products, and even some food flavorings. This ingredient matters because it adds a delicate floral-woody aroma that bridges top and middle notes in fragrances, creating smooth transitions and enhancing longevity.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFE
What Does Nerolidol Smell Like?
Nerolidol unfolds with a soft, fresh floralcy reminiscent of orange blossoms dipped in morning dew. As it evolves, a delicate woodiness emerges – like sandalwood shavings wrapped in jasmine petals. The dry-down reveals subtle hints of green tea leaves and a whisper of ripe apples, leaving a clean, slightly powdery trail. Its moderate volatility makes it an excellent bridge note, smoothing transitions between brighter top notes and deeper heart accords.
Scent Profile
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Nerolidol enhances the photorealistic orange blossom accord, adding depth and naturalistic warmth to the citrus top notes while preventing excessive sharpness.
Used to soften the citrus-herbal opening and create seamless transition to the floral heart, contributing to its legendary freshness.
Nerolidol’s floral-woody character helps unify the complex white floral bouquet, preventing individual notes from dominating.
Modern versions use nerolidol to round out the aldehydic top notes and support the ylang-ylang heart accord.
Provides subtle floralcy to balance the sharp citrus-woody structure, enhancing wearability.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CC(C)=CCCC(C)=CCCC(C)(O)C=C
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Nerolidol is a sesquiterpenoid alcohol existing as both cis and trans isomers, with the trans form being more common in nature. It’s biosynthesized from farnesyl pyrophosphate in plants, particularly in citrus and floral species. Industrial production typically involves chemical synthesis from linalool or other terpene precursors. The molecule’s alcohol group and extended carbon chain give it moderate polarity, explaining its ability to bridge different fragrance families. Chirality plays a role in its olfactory profile, with different enantiomers exhibiting slightly different scent characteristics.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Boiling Point | 276 °C |
|---|---|
| Density | 0.876 g/cm³ |
| Refractive Index | 1.482 |
| Flash Point | 110 °C |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.002 mmHg |
| XLogP | 4.1 |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 1-5% | Up to 8% | Floral-woody modifier |
| Soaps | 0.5-2% | Up to 3% | Adds floral depth |
| Detergents | 0.1-0.5% | Up to 1% | Freshness enhancer |
| Cosmetics | 0.5-3% | Up to 5% | Smooth floralcy |
Classic Accords
+ Jasmine + Sandalwood = Floral Woody
+ Rose + Patchouli = Oriental Floral
Tip: Use nerolidol to soften harsh citrus top notes and create natural transitions to floral heart notes.
Alternatives & Comparisons
Similar floral character but more powdery, useful when needing less woody aspects.
More citrusy and volatile, better for top notes but lacks nerolidol’s woody depth.
Woodier alternative when more sandalwood character is desired.
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. Nerolidol is not currently listed on any IFRA prohibited or restricted substances lists.
RIFM Assessment
RIFM evaluation confirms nerolidol’s safety for current use levels in fragrance applications.
Sustainability
Natural nerolidol is typically sourced as a byproduct of citrus oil production, making use of existing agricultural streams. Synthetic production from petrochemical precursors is also common, with newer methods exploring bioengineered yeast fermentation for more sustainable production. The compound is biodegradable and not considered environmentally persistent.
Explore Nerolidol
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Industry & Science Data
References
- Burdock, G.A. (2010). Fenaroli’s Handbook of Flavor Ingredients. CRC Press. ISBN 9781420090772
- Arctander, S. (1969). Perfume and Flavor Chemicals. Allured Publishing. ISBN 9780931710842
- IFRA Standards Library IFRA Online
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Mar 2026.
Ingredient Data Sheet
CAS 7212-44-4Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 222.37 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 4.6🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 276 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.0029 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 128 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Involatility Index | 0.0002💻 Calculated |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -0.79💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | CC(=CCCC(=CCCC(C)(C=C)O)C)C🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Base💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Very slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 5.9 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Primary Descriptors | floralgreenwoody• leffingwell |
| Functional Groups | alcoholalkene💻 RDKit |
| “Its Bergamot-Pear-Lemon-Raspberry Pear-like, but delicate and very tenacious odor.”📖 Arctander | |
| Nerolidol has a faint, fresh, unusually sweet, tenacious, floral odor similar to rose and apple.📖 Fenaroli | |
Sensory Thresholds
| Odor Detection Threshold | 0.3064 ppm (n=5)📖 van Gemert |
Regulatory Status
| EU Annex III | Listed (restricted)⚖️ IFRA 51 |
| 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: DTXSID3022247
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 222.372 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 0.876 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 276.5 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | -46.667 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 128 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.48 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 255.616 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 4.5 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 4.804 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 4.804 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 9.25 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0.001 mol/L📊 OPERA |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0.031 atm-m3/mole🔬 EPA CTX |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.002 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Viscosity | 8.786 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 28.251 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 138.231 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 20.23 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 1 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 1 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 7 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 72.569 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 28.769 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.
