In short
Geranyl acetate is the acetate ester of geraniol, present in many essential oils. It gives a fresh, fruity-rosy note.
What Geranyl Acetate smells like
Geranyl acetate is a rosy-floral ester with a pear-like fruitiness and a fresh lavender or green-herbal facet. One reference describes a pleasant, flowery odour reminiscent of rose and lavender, another a fruity rose note reminiscent of pear and slightly of lavender; suppliers add red berries, a soapy-waxy nuance and a fresh, slightly metallic rose. Arctander, quoted by a distributor, notes its wide use as a sweetener and modifier in floral, fruity, herbaceous and citrus fragrances.
- Leading note
- Fruity rose
- Clear facets
- Pear
- Supporting facets
- Lavender
- Faint facets
- Waxy, soapy, metallic
- Character
- Fresh, fruity, sweet, light
What makes Geranyl Acetate distinctive
Rose with pear and lavender — fresher and fruitier than geraniol, which makes it a natural bridge between rose, lavender and citrus.
How Geranyl Acetate is used
Widely used as a sweetener and modifier in floral, fruity, herbaceous and citrus fragrances, and in flavours.
Typical role: blender (smooths the joins between other materials).
How Geranyl Acetate differs from similar materials
- Geraniol
- Geraniol is the sweeter, warmer alcohol; the acetate is fruitier and fresher, with pear and lavender.
- Citronellyl Acetate
- Citronellyl acetate is fresher, with lime and a cleaner rose; geranyl acetate is sweeter, with pear and lavender.
- Geranyl Propionate
- The propionate is warmer and more balsamic, with a grape-like fruit; the acetate is fresher, with pear and lavender.
- Geranyl Acetone
- Geranyl acetone is greener, with magnolia and rose leaf; geranyl acetate is rosier and fruitier, with a waxy, herbal note.
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
Can hydrolyse to geraniol in some bases.
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
- 105-87-3
- Molecular formula
- C12H20O2
- Molecular weight
- 196.29 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- [(2E)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl] acetate
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 1549026, 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 classify it (2,195 reports): H315 causes skin irritation (79.8% of reports); H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction (77.6% of reports); H412 harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects (77.2% of reports); H411 toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (20.5% 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
-
Geraniol
Aroma chemical · Floral / Citrus — rosy, sweet, citrus, fresh
-
Linalyl Acetate
Aroma chemical · Aromatic / Fruity — fruity, floral, bergamot, lavender
-
Lavender Oil
Essential oil · Aromatic / Floral — lavender, herbal, floral, fresh
Geranyl Acetate is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Citronellyl Acetate, Geranyl Formate, Geranyl Isovalerate, Geranyl Propionate and Neryl Acetate.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 9 published formulas
Geranyl Acetate is an ingredient in 1 perfume formula, 6 accords and 2 bases in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Geranyl Acetate
Is Geranyl Acetate natural or synthetic?
The molecule occurs in nature. Commercial Geranyl 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 Geranyl Acetate?
105-87-3. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Geranyl Acetate?
Geranyl Acetate is used in 9 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Blackcurrant Signal, Honeyed Rose Accord and Hyacinth Accord. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 1549026, 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 — geranyl acetate — odour database.
- ChemicalBook — geranyl acetate (CAS 105-87-3) — odour database.
- Fraterworks — geranyl acetate (quoting Arctander) — distributor's description.
- 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.