In short
Citral dimethyl acetal is the dimethyl acetal of citral. It gives a softer, greener lemon note than citral and holds up better in alkaline products such as soap.
What Citral Dimethyl Acetal smells like
Citral dimethyl acetal is a fresh lemon material that is gentler and more natural than citral. Suppliers describe a considerably milder but more natural lemon odour than citral (IFF's grade), and more natural lemon than citral (Moellhausen); Bedoukian lists green, citrus, lemon-lime, aldehydic and terpenic. It is used mainly as a mild green top note, especially in soap, where it is far more stable than citral.
- Leading note
- Soft natural lemon
- Clear facets
- Green
- Supporting facets
- Lemon-lime
- Faint facets
- Aldehydic
- Character
- Soft, fresh, green, stable
What makes Citral Dimethyl Acetal distinctive
A lemon without the shout: the citral character softened and made greener and more natural, in a form that survives soap.
Where the descriptions disagree: Parchem's specification describes a harsh green, lemon-lime profile; others describe it as milder than citral.
How Citral Dimethyl Acetal is used
Used as a mild green-lemon top note, especially in soap and other alkaline products where citral itself would not survive.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Citral Dimethyl Acetal differs from similar materials
- Citral
- Suppliers describe the acetal as milder and more natural lemon than citral; citral is sharper, more intense and far less stable. (compared directly by a cited source)
An asterisk marks a difference that a cited source states directly. The others compare the published descriptions of each material. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.
Formulation considerations
Stable in alkaline bases but can revert to citral in acid; check the IFRA and allergen position for citral.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Citrus / Green
- Note position
- Top note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- 3,7-Dimethyl-1,1-dimethoxyocta-2,6-diene
- CAS number
- 7549-37-3
- Molecular formula
- C12H22O2
- Molecular weight
- 198.3 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- 1,1-dimethoxy-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-diene
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 24191, whose own record lists this CAS number; checked 19 October 2026.
Safety and compliance
Hazard classification of the neat substance, as PubChem summarises it, read 26 October 2026. Companies notifying the ECHA C&L Inventory report it as not meeting the GHS hazard criteria (1,564 of 1,604 reports). Unless it is harmonised, this is the notifiers' own classification, not a binding one.
This page is general information, not a safety assessment or a specification. Confirm identity, composition, IFRA status and allergen content from your supplier's documents for the lot you hold.
Materials it works with
-
Citral
Aroma chemical · Citrus / Green — lemon, sharp, fresh, green
-
Lemon Oil (Cold-Pressed)
Essential oil · Citrus / Aldehydic — citrus, sharp, zesty, juicy
-
Litsea Cubeba Oil
Essential oil · Citrus / Fruity — lemon, sweet, fruity, fresh
-
d-Limonene
Aroma chemical · Citrus / Fruity — citrus, orange, fresh, light
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 1 published formula
Citral Dimethyl Acetal is an ingredient in 1 perfume formula in the Formula & Accord Library.
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Citral Dimethyl Acetal
Is Citral Dimethyl Acetal natural or synthetic?
Citral Dimethyl Acetal is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of Citral Dimethyl Acetal?
7549-37-3. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Citral Dimethyl Acetal?
Citral Dimethyl Acetal is used in 1 published formula in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library: Sherbet Satellite. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 24191, checked 19 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- The Good Scents Company — citral dimethyl acetal (with IFF, Moellhausen and Bedoukian descriptions) — odour database.
- ChemicalBook — citral dimethyl acetal (CAS 7549-37-3) — odour database.
- Parchem — citral dimethyl acetal specification — distributor's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 20 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.