In short
Exaltone (cyclopentadecanone) is a macrocyclic musk ketone with a fine, warm, animalic musk character.
What Exaltone smells like
Exaltone (cyclopentadecanone) is a musk described by supplier listings as musk, sweet, animalic and powdery; one citing Firmenich gives musk, sweet, animal and soft. Fraterworks finds a warm, sweet, animalic musk with soft powdery nuances that becomes more refined at extreme dilution. Arctander, quoted by The Good Scents Company, found its odour very similar to muscone's, and in many perfumers' view superior in type and beauty, and praised it as a fixative.
- Leading note
- Warm animalic musk
- Supporting facets
- Sweet, powdery
- Character
- Warm, soft, tenacious
What makes Exaltone distinctive
A muscone-like macrocyclic ketone: warm and animal, refining as it dilutes.
Concentration and dilution
More refined at extreme dilution, in Fraterworks' description.
How Exaltone is used
Used as a warm musk and fixative in fine fragrance and musk accords.
Typical role: fixative (slow to evaporate; helps a blend last and holds lighter notes).
How Exaltone differs from similar materials
- Muscone
- Arctander found Exaltone's odour very similar to muscone's, and many perfumers judged it superior. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Exaltolide
- Exaltolide is cleaner, sweeter and skin-like; Exaltone is warmer, more animalic and powdery.
- Civetone
- One supplier finds civetone more muscular than Exaltone; Exaltone is the softer, sweeter musk. (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
A solid; dissolve before use.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Musky / Animalic
- Note position
- Base note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Solid
- Also known as
- Cyclopentadecanone
- CAS number
- 502-72-7
- Molecular formula
- C15H28O
- Molecular weight
- 224.38 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- cyclopentadecanone
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 10409, 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 (1,372 of 1,426 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
-
Muscone
Aroma chemical · Musky / Animalic — musky, animalic, warm, powdery
-
Exaltolide
Aroma chemical · Musky / Powdery — musky, soft, powdery, animalic
-
Muscenone
Aroma chemical · Musky / Animalic — musky, animalic, warm, powdery
Exaltone is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Cosmone.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 17 published formulas
Exaltone is an ingredient in 17 perfume formulas in the Formula & Accord Library.
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Exaltone
Is Exaltone natural or synthetic?
Exaltone is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of Exaltone?
502-72-7. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Exaltone?
Exaltone is used in 17 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Beeswax Throne, Bracken Moon and Cherry Lacquer. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 10409, 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 — cyclopentadecanone (with Arctander) — odour database.
- Fraterworks — Exaltone crystals — distributor's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 21 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.