Methyl Isoeugenol

What Methyl Isoeugenol smells like

Methyl isoeugenol is a spicy, clove-blossom-like note with carnation and woody facets, in supplier listings; Arctander, as quoted, calls it one of the most carnation-like derivatives of eugenol. One vendor describes it as sweet and warm with a mildly spicy clove scent; another gives a clove-carnation odour and a burning, bitter taste. It is also used as a fixative in spicy fragrances.

Leading note

Mild clove-carnation

Supporting facets

Sweet, woody

Faint facets

Floral

Character

Mild, warm, soft

• clove
• carnation
• sweet
• mild

What makes Methyl Isoeugenol distinctive

The gentlest clove-carnation: sweeter and milder than isoeugenol, with a woody edge.

How Methyl Isoeugenol is used

Used in carnation and spicy floral compositions and as a fixative in spicy fragrances.

Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend); blender (smooths the joins between other materials).

How Methyl Isoeugenol differs from similar materials

Isoeugenol

Isoeugenol is the more potent, spicier carnation; methyl isoeugenol is milder and sweeter.

Benzyl Isoeugenol

Benzyl isoeugenol is fainter and more balsamic, a fixative; methyl isoeugenol is a clearer, mild clove-carnation.

Methyl Eugenol

Methyl eugenol, its allyl isomer, is described as clove-carnation and mildly herbal.

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

Check the IFRA position for methyl isoeugenol and related methyl ethers for your product category.

Identity and classification

Type

Aroma chemical

Origin

Occurs in nature

Odour family

Spicy / Floral

Note position

Heart note

Physical form at room temperature

Liquid

Also known as

Isoeugenyl methyl ether, 1,2-Dimethoxy-4-propenylbenzene

CAS number

93-16-3

Molecular formula

C11H14O2

Molecular weight

178.23 g/mol

IUPAC name

1,2-dimethoxy-4-[(E)-prop-1-enyl]benzene

The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 637776, 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 (64 reports): H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction (100% 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

• Eugenol

  Aroma chemical · Spicy / Floral — clove, spicy, warm

• Isoeugenol

  Aroma chemical · Spicy / Floral — carnation, spicy, floral, sweet

• Clove Bud Oil

  Essential oil · Spicy / Floral — clove, spicy, warm, sweet

• Rose Oil (Rosa damascena)

  Essential oil · Floral / Fruity — rose, honeyed, spicy, fresh

Methyl Isoeugenol is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Benzyl Isoeugenol, Isoeugenyl Acetate and Methyl Eugenol.

Used in formulas and accords

Not currently used in any published formula.

The Formula & Accord Library lists Methyl Isoeugenol here as soon as a published formula, accord or base uses it.

Further reading

• How to Make a Carnation Accord

  Building carnation from eugenol, isoeugenol, rose materials and benzyl salicylate: an illustrative accord, balancing, IFRA and EU allergen limits, and records.

• Spicy Notes in Perfumery: Warm and Fresh Spices

  Warm and fresh spice materials, their key constituents, why cinnamon and clove are closely restricted, and how to build warmth within the limits.

Questions about Methyl Isoeugenol

Sources

• PubChem — compound 637776, 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 — methyl isoeugenol (with Arctander) — odour database.
• ChemicalBook — methyl isoeugenol (CAS 93-16-3) — odour database.
• Parchem — methyl isoeugenol — 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.