In short
Peonile is a trade name for alpha-cyclohexylidene benzeneacetonitrile, a nitrile with a floral, peony-like odour. Like other nitriles it is stable in harsh bases.
What Peonile smells like
Peonile (Givaudan; peony acetonitrile) is a floral-rose and geranium material with a green-citrus facet. A 1999 description quoted by The Good Scents Company calls it a chemical with a geranium, rose and flower smell that works well as a floraliser in detergent and soap; its geranium-rosy character is suggested for floral, fougère and hesperidian accords. A distributor smells rose and lychee and notes it lasts into the drydown. It is relatively non-volatile and stable.
- Leading note
- Rose-geranium
- Supporting facets
- Green-citrus
- Faint facets
- Lychee
- Character
- Floral, stable, lasting, fresh
What makes Peonile distinctive
A rose-geranium that holds in soap and detergent and lasts into the drydown — named for peony, though sources describe rose and geranium.
How Peonile is used
Used as a floraliser in soap and detergent fragrances and in floral, fougère and citrus accords, where it adds volume and tenacity.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Peonile differs from similar materials
- Mefranal
- Mefranal is brighter and aldehydic, lemon-geranium with muguet; Peonile is a stabler, longer-lasting rose-geranium.
- Geranium Oil
- Geranium oil is the natural rose-green with a minty, metallic edge; Peonile is a simpler, stable rose-geranium synthetic.
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
Covered by an IFRA Standard; check the limit for your product category.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Floral / Spicy
- Note position
- Heart note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- alpha-Cyclohexylidene benzeneacetonitrile, 2-Cyclohexylidene-2-phenylacetonitrile
- CAS number
- 10461-98-0
- Molecular formula
- C14H15N
- Molecular weight
- 197.27 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- 2-cyclohexylidene-2-phenylacetonitrile
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 66327, whose own record lists this CAS number; checked 19 October 2026.
Safety and compliance
The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering Peonile:
- "alpha-Cyclohexylidene benzeneacetonitrile" — Restriction, 51st Amendment, published 2023-06
Limits differ by product category and are set out in the Standard itself; this page does not reproduce them. The list above reflects the library as read on 19 October 2026.
Hazard classification of the neat substance, as PubChem summarises it, read 26 October 2026. It has a harmonised EU classification (Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, Annex VI): H302 harmful if swallowed; H411 toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. Companies notifying the ECHA C&L Inventory classify it (3,194 reports): H302 harmful if swallowed (100% of reports); H411 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
-
Phenylethyl Alcohol
Aroma chemical · Floral / Green — rose, honeyed, soft, floral
-
Geraniol
Aroma chemical · Floral / Citrus — rosy, sweet, citrus, fresh
-
Citronellyl Nitrile
Aroma chemical · Citrus / Metallic — lemon, metallic, fresh, waxy
-
Rose Oxide
Aroma chemical · Floral / Metallic — metallic, green, geranium, rosy
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 8 published formulas
Peonile is an ingredient in 4 perfume formulas and 4 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Peonile
Is Peonile natural or synthetic?
Peonile is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of Peonile?
10461-98-0. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Peonile?
Peonile is used in 8 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Asphalt Peony, Bright Wolf and Cherry Blossom Accord. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Is Peonile covered by an IFRA Standard?
Yes. The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering it: "alpha-Cyclohexylidene benzeneacetonitrile" — Restriction, 51st Amendment. The limits depend on the product category; read the Standard itself before formulating.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 66327, checked 19 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- IFRA — Standards Library, read 19 October 2026.
- The Good Scents Company — Peonile — odour database.
- The Fragrance Foundry — Peonile (Givaudan) — distributor's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 20 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.