Panthenol (CAS 81-13-0) — Citrus Top Note Fragrance Ingredient
Panthenol
CAS 81-13-0
What Is Panthenol?
Panthenol is a vitamin B5 derivative commonly found in skincare, haircare, and cosmetic products. It acts as a moisturizer and helps improve skin barrier function. While odorless itself, it’s valued in fragrances for its ability to modify texture and enhance product performance.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFEWhat Does Panthenol Smell Like?
Panthenol is odorless in pure form but serves as an important functional ingredient in fragrance formulations. Its hygroscopic properties help modulate scent diffusion and longevity. When combined with other ingredients, it can subtly influence the overall olfactory profile by affecting how top notes transition to heart notes.
Scent Profile
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Features panthenol as a textural element in this minimalist fragrance, enhancing the softness of musks and synthetic notes without contributing scent.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CC(C)(CO)[C@@H](O)C(=O)NCCCO
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Panthenol is the alcohol analog of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). This chiral molecule exists as D- and L-isomers, with D-panthenol being the biologically active form. Industrially produced through chemical synthesis from isobutyraldehyde, formaldehyde, and 3-aminopropanol. The racemic DL-form is commonly used in cosmetics. Its three hydroxyl groups make it highly water-soluble (XLogP -0.9) and hygroscopic.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 205.25 g/mol |
|---|---|
| XLogP | -0.9 |
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 89.8 Ų |
| Solubility | >30.8 μg/mL at pH 7.4 |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin Care | 1-5% | Up to 8% | Moisturizing agent |
| Hair Care | 0.5-3% | Up to 5% | Improves hair elasticity |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use to improve texture and modulate scent diffusion without altering fragrance character.
Alternatives & Comparisons
The acidic form of vitamin B5, used when more direct vitamin activity is desired.
Alternative humectant without vitamin activity but similar textural effects.
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 apply.
RIFM Assessment
Considered safe for use in cosmetics by RIFM with no significant safety concerns.
Sustainability
Synthetically produced from petrochemical sources. Production is energy-intensive but yields high purity material. Biodegradable under environmental conditions. No known ecological toxicity concerns.
Explore Panthenol
Browse essential oils and aroma compounds.
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References
- PubChem Compound Summary for CID 4678 (Panthenol) PubChem 4678
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Mar 2026.
Report a data errorIngredient Data Sheet
CAS 81-13-0Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 205.25 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | -0.9🔬 PubChem |
| Vapor Pressure | 0 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 150.5 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -4.591💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | CC(C)(CO)C(C(=O)NCCCO)O🔬 PubChem |
Odor & Flavor
| Functional Groups | alcohol💻 RDKit |
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: DTXSID3022906
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 205.254 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 1.2 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 177.3 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | -25 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 131.8 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.502 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 175.975 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | -1.06 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | -2.613 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | -1.683 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 8.4 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 3.143 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Viscosity | 80.755 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 49.136 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 212.297 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 89.79 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 4 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 4 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 6 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 51.898 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 20.574 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.
