In short
delta-Damascone is one of the rose ketones, a family of very powerful odorants related to the ionones. It has a fruity, rosy odour with plum, blackcurrant and tobacco facets.
What delta-Damascone smells like
Delta-damascone is an intensely fruity, rosy damascone with dark plum, blackcurrant and apple facets and a warm, tobacco-like depth, described as more fruity and less rose than beta-damascone. Its character depends on its isomers: a patent describes the trans,trans form as lending a sweet floral rose note, while the cis,trans form is floral but camphoraceous and minty, and less desirable in perfumery. Few independent descriptions exist. Fraterworks gives its odour in two words, black plum, and describes a fruity-floral character with apple-like facets, rosy undertones and a warm, tobacco-like depth, sweeter than alpha-damascone and livelier than beta-damascone; it sells it neat or at 10% in DPG.
- Leading note
- Dark fruity rose
- Clear facets
- Plum, blackcurrant
- Supporting facets
- Apple
- Faint facets
- Tobacco, minty (some isomers)
- Character
- Fruity, powerful, warm
What makes delta-Damascone distinctive
The fruitiest damascone — plum and blackcurrant ahead of the rose — with a character that shifts with its isomer mix.
Concentration and dilution
Fraterworks sells it neat or as a 10% solution in DPG, and lists 10%, 5% and 1% as common dilutions.
How delta-Damascone is used
Used in traces in fruity-rose, red-fruit and chypre compositions and in detergent fragrance.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How delta-Damascone differs from similar materials
- alpha-Damascone
- Alpha-damascone is the greener apple-and-mint damascone; delta is darker and fruitier.
- beta-Damascone
- Beta-damascone is more rose and tobacco; delta is described as fruitier and less rose.
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
The rose ketones share one IFRA Standard; check the combined limit for your product category. Extremely potent, so work from a 0.1% or 1% dilution.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Fruity / Floral
- Note position
- Heart note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- 1-(2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohex-3-en-1-yl)but-2-en-1-one
- CAS number
- 57378-68-4
- Molecular formula
- C13H20O
- Molecular weight
- 192.3 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- (E)-1-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-3-en-1-yl)but-2-en-1-one
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 5365916, whose own record lists this CAS number; checked 19 October 2026.
Safety and compliance
The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering delta-Damascone:
- "Rose ketones" — 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. Companies notifying the ECHA C&L Inventory classify it (1,753 reports): H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction (100% of reports); H410 very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (97.6% of reports); H302 harmful if swallowed (97.5% of reports); H315 causes skin irritation (97.1% of reports); H400 very toxic to aquatic life (97.1% of reports). 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
-
beta-Damascone
Aroma chemical · Fruity / Floral — fruity, rose, plum, blackcurrant
-
alpha-Damascone
Aroma chemical · Fruity / Floral — fruity, apple, rose, green
-
beta-Damascenone
Aroma chemical · Fruity / Floral — fruity, cooked apple, plum, rose
-
Rose Oil (Rosa damascena)
Essential oil · Floral / Fruity — rose, honeyed, spicy, fresh
delta-Damascone is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Pomarose.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 8 published formulas
delta-Damascone is an ingredient in 7 accords and 1 base in the Formula & Accord Library.
Further reading
Questions about delta-Damascone
Is delta-Damascone natural or synthetic?
delta-Damascone is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of delta-Damascone?
57378-68-4. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use delta-Damascone?
delta-Damascone is used in 8 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Cherry Accord, Chocolate Accord and Cranberry Base. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Is delta-Damascone covered by an IFRA Standard?
Yes. The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering it: "Rose ketones" — Restriction, 49th Amendment. The limits depend on the product category; read the Standard itself before formulating.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 5365916, 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.
- US patent 4,198,309 — trans,trans-delta-damascone in detergent aroma — published literature.
- Premiere Peau — Damascone — published perfumery reference.
- Fraterworks — Damascone Delta — distributor's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 26 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.