Succinic acid (CAS 110-15-6) — Woody Base Note Fragrance Ingredient

ByThe Good Scents
Woody · Green

Succinic acid

CAS 110-15-6

Origin
synthetic
Note
Base
IFRA
Generally safe
Data as of: Apr 2026

What Is Succinic acid?

Succinic acid is a naturally occurring dicarboxylic acid found in amber and various plants. It’s used in food as an acidity regulator and in perfumery as a subtle sour note. This ingredient matters because it bridges gourmand and woody accords, adding a unique tang without overpowering.

Safety Profile

GENERALLY SAFE
Generally safeUse with awarenessProfessional use
✓ GRAS for food use
⚠ May irritate in pure form
CAS
110-15-6
Formula
Mixture
MW
Variable
Odor Family
Woody · Green
Layer 1 · Enthusiast

What Does Succinic acid Smell Like?

Succinic acid presents a clean, slightly sour aroma reminiscent of unripe berries or fresh sweat with an underlying mineral sharpness. Unlike sharper acids, it carries a rounded quality that evolves into a faintly salty-woody drydown. The scent profile suggests crushed green stems meeting ocean air.

Scent Profile
Layer 2

2D Molecular Structure

Butanedioic acid

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

Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide

The Chemistry

A four-carbon dicarboxylic acid (HOOC-CH2-CH2-COOH) produced via hydrogenation of maleic anhydride or fermentation. Naturally occurs in plant and animal tissues as part of the Krebs cycle. The food industry uses microbial fermentation for production, while perfumery typically employs synthetic routes for purity.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Melting Point185-190 °C
Solubility58 g/L (water)

Perfumer Guide

Note Position
Base
Volatility
Low
Blending
Moderate
ApplicationTypical %RangeNotes
Functional Fragrances0.5-2%Up to 5%Adds tactile sourness
Gourmand Accords1-3%Up to 8%Enhances fruity notes

Classic Accords

Tip: Use to add naturalistic sourness without citrus top notes.

Alternatives & Comparisons

1
Malic acid CAS 6915-15-7

Sharper green apple character, better for top notes.

2
Tartaric acid CAS 87-69-4

More wine-like sourness, works in boozy accords.

Layer 3

Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability

⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer

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

IFRA Status

No IFRA restrictions.

RIFM Assessment

Not currently assessed by RIFM.

Sustainability

Primarily produced via sustainable fermentation processes using renewable feedstocks. Bio-based production routes are increasingly common, reducing reliance on petrochemical precursors.

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References

  1. PubChem CID 1110 Succinic acid
  2. EFSA Panel (2014). Scientific Opinion. EFSA Journal. Safety evaluation

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

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Perfumers Notes

Odor Profile

Odorless.

Standard Dilution

10% in DPG (standard dilution for most fragrance materials)

Ingredient Data Sheet

CAS 110-15-6

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight118.09 g/mol🔬 PubChem
LogP (Octanol-Water)-0.6🔬 PubChem
Boiling Point235 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
Vapor Pressure0 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA
Flash Point160 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
log Kp (skin permeability)-3.846💻 Calculated
SMILESC(CC(=O)O)C(=O)O🔬 PubChem

Volatility & Performance

Fragrance NoteHeart💻 Calculated

Odor & Flavor

Primary Descriptorsodorless• leffingwell
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: DTXSID6023602

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight 118.088 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox
Density 1.342 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX
Boiling Point 235 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Melting Point 186.914 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Flash Point 151.62 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Refractive Index 1.478 Dimensionless📊 OPERA
Molar Volume 83.814 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA

Partition & Solubility

LogP (Octanol-Water) -0.59 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX
LogD (pH 5.5) -2.445 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogD (pH 7.4) -4.885 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogKoa (Octanol-Air) 7.21 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
Water Solubility 0.615 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX
Henry's Law Constant 0 atm-m3/mole🔬 EPA CTX

Transport Properties

Vapor Pressure 0 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX
Viscosity 6.348 cP📊 OPERA
Surface Tension 46.439 dyn/cm📊 OPERA
Thermal Conductivity 164.183 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA

Molecular Descriptors

Topological Polar Surface Area 74.6 Ų💻 Computed
H-Bond Donors 2 count💻 Computed
H-Bond Acceptors 2 count💻 Computed
Rotatable Bonds 3 count💻 Computed
Aromatic Rings 0 count💻 Computed
Molar Refractivity 23.709 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA
Polarizability 9.399 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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