In short
Citronellyl acetate is the acetate ester of citronellol. It brings a fresh, fruity-rosy note with a lime-like freshness.
What Citronellyl Acetate smells like
Citronellyl acetate is a fresh, fruity rose ester. Takasago calls it fresh-rosy-fruity; ChemicalBook describes a fresh, fruity rose; DRT lists fruity, pear and green; IFF a rose-like character with green, leafy, pear undertones; BASF floral-rosy, fruity and slightly citrus; and PerfumersWorld adds lime, bergamot and lavender. The emphasis shifts with supplier and grade.
- Leading note
- Fresh fruity rose
- Clear facets
- Pear
- Supporting facets
- Lime, citrus, green, leafy
- Faint facets
- Lavender
- Character
- Fresh, fruity, light, clean
What makes Citronellyl Acetate distinctive
Citronellol made fruity: a clean rose with pear and a citrus-lime freshness, lighter and less sweet than geranyl acetate.
How Citronellyl Acetate is used
Used in rose, fruity-floral and fresh compositions, and in flavours.
Typical role: blender (smooths the joins between other materials).
How Citronellyl Acetate differs from similar materials
- Citronellol
- Citronellol is the cleaner, dewier rose; the acetate is fruitier, with pear and lime.
- Geranyl Acetate
- Geranyl acetate is sweeter, with pear and lavender; citronellyl acetate is fresher and more citrus.
- Rhodinyl Acetate
- Rhodinyl acetate is the leafier, longer-lasting rose acetate; citronellyl acetate is fruitier, with pear.
Each difference compares the published descriptions of the two materials. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.
Formulation considerations
Covered by an IFRA Standard; check the current limits.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Occurs in nature
- Odour family
- Floral / Fruity
- Note position
- Top to heart note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- CAS number
- 150-84-5
- Molecular formula
- C12H22O2
- Molecular weight
- 198.3 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- 3,7-dimethyloct-6-enyl acetate
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 9017, whose own record lists this CAS number; checked 19 October 2026.
Safety and compliance
The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering Citronellyl Acetate:
- "Citronellyl acetate" — Restriction, 51st Amendment, published 2023-06
Limits differ by product category and are set out in the Standard itself; this page does not reproduce them. The list above reflects the library as read on 19 October 2026.
Hazard classification of the neat substance, as PubChem summarises it, read 26 October 2026. Companies notifying the ECHA C&L Inventory classify it (2,000 reports): H411 toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (97.6% of reports); H319 causes serious eye irritation (14.5% of 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
-
Citronellol
Aroma chemical · Floral / Green — rosy, fresh, citrus, waxy
-
Geranyl Acetate
Aroma chemical · Floral / Fruity — fruity, rosy, pear, fresh
-
Rose Oxide
Aroma chemical · Floral / Metallic — metallic, green, geranium, rosy
Citronellyl Acetate is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Rhodinyl Acetate.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 2 published formulas
Citronellyl Acetate is an ingredient in 1 perfume formula and 1 accord in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Citronellyl Acetate
Is Citronellyl Acetate natural or synthetic?
The molecule occurs in nature. Commercial Citronellyl Acetate may be made by synthesis or obtained from natural sources, so check the supplier's specification if the distinction matters to you.
What is the CAS number of Citronellyl Acetate?
150-84-5. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Citronellyl Acetate?
Citronellyl Acetate is used in 2 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library: Blackcurrant Signal and Peony Accord. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Is Citronellyl Acetate covered by an IFRA Standard?
Yes. The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering it: "Citronellyl acetate" — Restriction, 51st Amendment. The limits depend on the product category; read the Standard itself before formulating.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 9017, checked 19 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- IFRA — Standards Library, read 19 October 2026.
- The Good Scents Company — citronellyl acetate — odour database.
- BASF Aroma Ingredients — Citronellyl acetate — manufacturer's description.
- DRT — Citronellyl acetate — manufacturer's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 26 October 2026. Evidence: several independent published descriptions, which agree. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.