Piperine (CAS 94-62-2) — Spicy Top to Middle Note Fragrance Ingredient
Piperine
CAS 94-62-2
What Is Piperine?
Piperine is the compound responsible for black pepper’s pungent bite, found naturally in peppercorns and synthetically produced for flavor and fragrance use. It’s encountered in spicy foods, some perfumes, and traditional medicines. This molecule matters because it enhances other flavors and scents through bioactivity, making it valuable in both culinary and fragrance applications where a warm, peppery note is desired.
Safety Profile
USE WITH AWARENESSWhat Does Piperine Smell Like?
Piperine delivers an intensely sharp, biting pepperiness that evolves from an initial fiery burst to a lingering warmth. Unlike the complex essential oil of black pepper, it’s a laser-focused molecule – imagine the moment crushed peppercorns hit a hot pan, stripped of all woody or floral nuances. The dry-down reveals a subtle hay-like facet that keeps it from being one-dimensional, though it remains decidedly linear compared to natural pepper extracts.
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Used as the molecular core of the pepper accord, providing razor-sharp spice without the earthy undertones of natural pepper oil. Creates a modern, almost metallic pepper effect.
Amplifies the spice bouquet with piperine’s crystalline intensity, contrasting with sweeter notes to prevent gourmand heaviness.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: O=C(\C=C\C=C\C1=CC=C2OCOC2=C1)N1CCCCC1
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Piperine is an alkaloid of the piperidine class, specifically a vanilloid compound containing both amide and ether functional groups. While naturally occurring in Piper nigrum (black pepper) at 5-9% concentration, commercial piperine is typically synthesized from piperidine and piperic acid. The trans configuration of its double bonds is essential for its characteristic pungency. Its planar structure and conjugated system contribute to UV absorption, requiring protection from light in formulations.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Melting Point | 130-133 °C |
|---|---|
| Solubility | 1g/15mL alcohol, insoluble in water |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 0.1-0.5% | Up to 1% | Used sparingly for sharp spice accents |
| Functional Fragrance | 0.01-0.1% | Up to 0.3% | Adds freshness to cleaning products |
Classic Accords
Tip: Dissolve in alcohol before adding to oil phase to prevent crystallization.
Alternatives & Comparisons
Less pungent pepper alternative with woody undertones, suitable when a softer spice is needed.
Provides tingling, numbing sensation alongside pepper notes for innovative tactile effects.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.
IFRA Status
No IFRA restrictions. Listed in 49th Amendment as unlimited for all applications.
GHS Classification
RIFM Assessment
RIFM assessment confirms safe use at current industry levels with minimal sensitization risk.
Sustainability
Synthetic production avoids agricultural impacts of pepper cultivation, though relies on petrochemical feedstocks. Biocatalytic synthesis methods are being developed to improve green chemistry profile. Natural extraction remains energy-intensive due to low yield (under 10% from raw peppercorns).
Explore Piperine
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References
- PubChem Compound Summary for Piperine CID 638024
- Srinivasan (2007). Black pepper and its pungent principle-piperine. Critical Reviews in Food Science. DOI:10.1080/10408390601062054
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.
Report a data errorPhysicochemical Properties
DTXSID: DTXSID3021805
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 285.343 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 1.188 g/cm^3📊 OPERA |
| Boiling Point | 498.5 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | 130.85 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 255.3 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.615 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 235.433 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 2.637 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 0.757 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 1.702 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 9.25 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Viscosity | 41.707 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 51.021 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 38.77 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 0 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 3 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 3 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 1 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 82.143 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 32.564 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.
