In short
Habanolide is a macrocyclic musk lactone from Firmenich with a clean, metallic, powdery musk character.
What Habanolide smells like
Habanolide (Firmenich) is a sweet musk with a distinctive metallic edge: Pell Wall lists musk, sweet, powdery and hot-iron, the 'hot metallic' facet likened to a hot iron gliding over clean linen, with a slight waxy, powdery impression. Perfumers treat that note as a feature, and it is linked to the 'white musk' style. A supplier adds clean, metallic, ambrette, laundry and radiant.
- Leading note
- Clean white musk
- Clear facets
- Hot-iron metallic
- Supporting facets
- Powdery, waxy
- Faint facets
- Ambrette
- Character
- Clean, radiant, crisp
What makes Habanolide distinctive
Ironed linen: the hot-metal edge of a clean white musk.
How Habanolide is used
Used in clean, white-musk and laundry-like accords in fine and functional fragrance.
Typical role: fixative (slow to evaporate; helps a blend last and holds lighter notes); backbone (used in large proportions as a structural material of an accord).
How Habanolide differs from similar materials
- Ethylene Brassylate
- Ethylene brassylate is softer and more powdery-sweet; Habanolide adds a hot-iron metallic facet.
- Exaltolide
- Exaltolide is softer and more skin-like; Habanolide is crisper, with a metallic edge.
- Galaxolide
- Galaxolide is sweeter and more floral; Habanolide is the crisper, metallic white musk.
- Globanone
- Globanone, a macrocyclic ketone often confused with Globalide by name, is more floral and balsamic.
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
Stable in most bases.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Musky / Metallic
- Note position
- Base note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- CAS number
- 111879-80-2
- Molecular formula
- C15H26O2
- Molecular weight
- 238.37 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- (12E)-1-oxacyclohexadec-12-en-2-one
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 9856149, 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 (163 reports): H400 very toxic to aquatic life (100% of reports); H410 very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (100% 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
-
Galaxolide
Aroma chemical · Musky / Floral — musky, clean, sweet, floral
-
Helvetolide
Aroma chemical · Musky / Fruity — musky, fruity, pear, radiant
-
Iso E Super
Aroma chemical · Woody / Amber — woody, velvety, amber, cedar
-
Hedione
Aroma chemical · Floral / Citrus — jasmine, transparent, citrus, airy
Habanolide is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Applelide, Cosmone, Globanone, Musk R1, Romandolide and Zenolide.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 42 published formulas
Habanolide is an ingredient in 32 perfume formulas, 9 accords and 1 base in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Habanolide
Is Habanolide natural or synthetic?
Habanolide is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of Habanolide?
111879-80-2. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Habanolide?
Habanolide is used in 42 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Asphalt Peony, Bell Glass and Bitter Ferry. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 9856149, 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 — Habanolide (with Pell Wall's description) — odour database.
- dsm-firmenich — Habanolide — manufacturer's description.
- Bioshop — Habanolide — distributor's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 24 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.