In short
d-Carvone, (S)-(+)-carvone, is the carvone of caraway and dill seed. It is the mirror image of l-carvone, the spearmint molecule, and the two smell clearly different.
What d-Carvone smells like
d-Carvone, the S-(+) enantiomer, smells of caraway — warm, dry and savoury, the rye-bread spice of the caraway seed — while its mirror image, l-carvone, smells of spearmint. The two are a textbook case of enantiomers that people easily tell apart. d-Carvone makes up most of caraway seed oil and a large part of dill seed oil.
- Leading note
- Caraway
- Supporting facets
- Dill, bready, savoury
- Character
- Warm, dry, savoury
What makes d-Carvone distinctive
The caraway half of the most famous pair of mirror-image molecules: same structure as spearmint's carvone, a different smell.
How d-Carvone is used
Used in caraway, dill and rye flavours and in herbal and spicy compositions.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How d-Carvone differs from similar materials
- Caraway Oil
- Caraway oil adds limonene's citrus lift and weedy, fatty notes to d-carvone's caraway. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Dill Oil
- Dill seed oil is rich in d-carvone; dill weed oil is greener, led by dill ether and phellandrene. (compared directly by a cited source)
- l-Carvone
- l-Carvone, its mirror image, smells of spearmint; d-carvone smells of caraway and dill. (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
Carvone has an IFRA Standard; check the limit for your product category.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Occurs in nature
- Odour family
- Aromatic / Spicy
- Note position
- Top to heart note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- (S)-(+)-Carvone, (+)-Carvone
- CAS number
- 2244-16-8
- Molecular formula
- C10H14O
- Molecular weight
- 150.22 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- (5S)-2-methyl-5-prop-1-en-2-ylcyclohex-2-en-1-one
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 16724, whose own record lists this CAS number; checked 19 October 2026.
Safety and compliance
The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering d-Carvone:
- "Carvone" — Restriction, 49th Amendment, published 2020-01
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. It has a harmonised EU classification (Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, Annex VI): H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction. Companies notifying the ECHA C&L Inventory classify it (1,654 reports): H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction (99.8% of reports); H302 harmful if swallowed (16.3% of reports). 2 of the reports find it does not meet the hazard criteria. A skin sensitiser classification concerns handling the neat material and the dose in a finished product; the IFRA Standards, where they apply, set the limits. 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
-
l-Carvone
Aroma chemical · Aromatic / Green — spearmint, minty, sweet
-
Caraway Oil
Essential oil · Aromatic / Spicy — caraway, spicy, warm, herbal
-
Dill Oil
Essential oil · Aromatic / Green — herbal, green, fresh, caraway
-
d-Limonene
Aroma chemical · Citrus / Fruity — citrus, orange, fresh, light
Used in formulas and accords
Not currently used in any published formula.
The Formula & Accord Library lists d-Carvone here as soon as a published formula, accord or base uses it.
Further reading
Questions about d-Carvone
Is d-Carvone natural or synthetic?
The molecule occurs in nature. Commercial d-Carvone 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 d-Carvone?
2244-16-8. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Is d-Carvone covered by an IFRA Standard?
Yes. The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering it: "Carvone" — Restriction, 49th Amendment. The limits depend on the product category; read the Standard itself before formulating.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 16724, 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.
- Wikipedia — Carvone — published perfumery reference.
- LibreTexts — Stereoisomerism and smell — published perfumery reference.
- Premiere Peau — Carvone — published perfumery reference.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 21 October 2026. Evidence: several independent published descriptions, which agree. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.