Phenylpropyl Alcohol

In short

Phenylpropyl alcohol is 3-phenylpropan-1-ol, a mild aromatic alcohol with a soft balsamic, hyacinth-like floral odour. It occurs in some balsams and is used as a gentle floral blender.

What Phenylpropyl Alcohol smells like

Phenylpropyl alcohol is a mild, sweet, floral-balsamic alcohol with a hyacinth and mignonette character. Symrise describes it as floral-hyacinth, remotely reminiscent of rose, balsamic and slightly sultry, and more balsamic than cinnamyl alcohol; other suppliers list sweet, balsamic, floral, hyacinth, and sweet mignonette-hyacinth, balsamic, green-aromatic and floral. A reference compendium sums it up as floral-balsamic, slightly reminiscent of hyacinth.

Leading note: Sweet balsamic hyacinth
Supporting facets: Mignonette
Faint facets: Rose, green-aromatic
Character: Mild, sweet, soft, balsamic

What makes Phenylpropyl Alcohol distinctive

Mildness. It is the soft, sultry balsamic hyacinth — less spicy than cinnamyl alcohol and far gentler than the hyacinth aldehydes.

How Phenylpropyl Alcohol is used

Used in fresh-flower compositions — lilac, hyacinth and lily of the valley — for its balsamic floral body; one supplier suggests blending it with cinnamyl alcohol, phenylethyl alcohol and geraniol.

Typical role: blender (smooths the joins between other materials).

How Phenylpropyl Alcohol differs from similar materials

Cinnamyl Alcohol: Symrise describes phenylpropyl alcohol as more balsamic than cinnamyl alcohol; cinnamyl alcohol carries more cinnamic spice. (compared directly by a cited source)
Hydrocinnamaldehyde: The aldehyde is stronger, greener and more aldehydic; the alcohol is milder, softer and sweeter.

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.

Identity and classification

Type: Aroma chemical
Origin: Occurs in nature
Odour family: Floral / Resinous
Note position: Heart note
Physical form at room temperature: Liquid
Also known as: 3-Phenylpropan-1-ol, Hydrocinnamyl alcohol
CAS number: 122-97-4
Molecular formula: C9H12O
Molecular weight: 136.19 g/mol
IUPAC name: 3-phenylpropan-1-ol

The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 31234, 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 (1,996 reports): H315 causes skin irritation (88.4% of reports); H319 causes serious eye irritation (87.1% of reports); H314 causes severe skin burns and eye damage (11.5% of reports); H318 causes serious eye damage (10.4% of reports). 1 of the reports find it does not meet the hazard criteria. 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
Cinnamyl Alcohol
Aroma chemical · Floral / Spicy — balsamic, floral, hyacinth, sweet
Hydrocinnamaldehyde
Aroma chemical · Floral / Green — hyacinth, green, balsamic, floral
Styrax Resinoid
Resinoid · Amber / Leather — balsamic, leathery, cinnamic, smoky

Used in formulas and accords

Used in 4 published formulas

Phenylpropyl Alcohol is an ingredient in 1 perfume formula, 2 accords and 1 base in the Formula & Accord Library.

Community formulas

Gardenia Accord
Community Formula · Accord · listed as “Phenyl Propyl Alcohol”
Mousse de Chypre Base
Community Formula · Base · listed as “Phenyl Propyl Alchol”
Wisteria Accord
Community Formula · Accord · listed as “Phenyl Propyl Alcohol”

RUŌOD House Originals

Original compositions by RUŌOD House.

Cut Stem Atelier
RUŌOD House Original

Questions about Phenylpropyl Alcohol

Is Phenylpropyl Alcohol natural or synthetic?

The molecule occurs in nature. Commercial Phenylpropyl Alcohol 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 Phenylpropyl Alcohol?

122-97-4. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.

Which published formulas use Phenylpropyl Alcohol?

Phenylpropyl Alcohol is used in 4 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Cut Stem Atelier, Gardenia Accord and Mousse de Chypre Base. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.

Sources

PubChem — compound 31234, 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 — 3-phenylpropanol (with Symrise, Alfrebro and Moellhausen descriptions) — odour database.
Perflavory — 3-phenylpropanol — odour database.
Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 20 October 2026. Evidence: several independent published descriptions, which agree. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.