In short
Dimethyl sulfide is a small, very volatile sulphur compound. JECFA describes its odour as unpleasant, of wild radish and cabbage; in traces it gives a natural sulphurous note.
What Dimethyl Sulfide smells like
JECFA describes dimethyl sulfide as a colourless to pale yellow liquid with an unpleasant odour of wild radish and cabbage. The Hazardous Substances Data Bank records the same: an unpleasant odour of wild radish, cabbage-like. Fraterworks describes an incredibly intense, volatile material smelling mainly of creamed corn, with subtle marine and ozonic nuances, and notes that it is a main contributor to the actual smell of the sea; a sample smelling of rotting cabbage is low quality or degraded.
- Leading note
- Cabbage
- Clear facets
- Wild radish
- Character
- Sulphurous, volatile
What makes Dimethyl Sulfide distinctive
A raw, cabbage-like sulphur note that reads as natural only at a trace.
Concentration and dilution
Fraterworks sells it as a 1% solution in DPG and recommends diluting it further, to 0.1% or even 0.01%, and storing it refrigerated because it evaporates readily.
How Dimethyl Sulfide is used
Fraterworks uses it as a trace modifier for marine accords and lychee reconstructions and as a naturalising agent for florals and exotic fruits.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Dimethyl Sulfide differs from similar materials
- Prenyl Mercaptan
- Prenyl mercaptan is skunk and onion; dimethyl sulfide is cabbage and radish, the vegetable sulphur.
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
Extremely volatile, highly flammable and very powerful; work from high dilution.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Occurs in nature
- Odour family
- Green
- Note position
- Top note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- DMS, Methyl sulfide, Dimethyl sulphide
- CAS number
- 75-18-3
- Molecular formula
- C2H6S
- Molecular weight
- 62.14 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- methylsulfanylmethane
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 1068, whose own record lists this CAS number; checked 24 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 classify it (1,875 reports): H225 highly Flammable liquid and vapor (89.5% of reports); H301 toxic if swallowed (71.9% of reports); H335 may cause respiratory irritation (12.2% of reports); H315 causes skin irritation (11.3% of reports); H319 causes serious eye irritation (10.2% of reports); H318 causes serious eye damage (10% 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
-
cis-3-Hexenol
Aroma chemical · Green / Fruity — green, cut grass, leafy, fresh
-
Blackcurrant Bud Absolute
Absolute · Fruity / Green — blackcurrant, green, sulphurous, fruity
-
Grapefruit Mercaptan
Aroma chemical · Citrus / Fruity — grapefruit, sulfurous, juicy, tropical
Dimethyl Sulfide is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Maritima and Prenyl Mercaptan.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 3 published formulas
Dimethyl Sulfide is an ingredient in 3 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.
Further reading
Questions about Dimethyl Sulfide
Is Dimethyl Sulfide natural or synthetic?
The molecule occurs in nature. Commercial Dimethyl Sulfide 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 Dimethyl Sulfide?
75-18-3. It was checked against PubChem on 24 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Dimethyl Sulfide?
Dimethyl Sulfide is used in 3 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library: Blood Accord, Pumpkin Accord and Soy Sauce Accord. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 1068, checked 24 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- PubChem — Dimethyl Sulfide (CID 1068): JECFA organoleptic description — odour database.
- PubChem — Dimethyl Sulfide: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) odour entry — odour database.
- Fraterworks — Dimethyl Sulfide 1% DPG — 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.