RUŌOD Lab

Terpinolene

Aroma chemical · Aromatic / Woody

piney, herbal, citrus, woody — top note.

Aroma illustration for Terpinolene: a pine branch and cone, a sprig of herbs and a halved citrus fruit, for its piney, herbal and citrus notes. It illustrates smell associations, not the material or its source.Skeletal formula of Terpinolene (Isoterpinene), C10H16, drawn from PubChem's 2D record. Stereochemistry is not shown.
Aroma View: an illustration of what Terpinolene smells like (piney, herbal, citrus), drawn by RUŌOD Lab — not its appearance or its source.Skeletal formula drawn by RUŌOD Lab from PubChem's 2D record (CID 11463). Stereochemistry is not shown; the coloured background is decoration.
Images

By the RUŌOD Lab TeamRevision 1Updated

In short

Terpinolene is a monoterpene found in tea tree, nutmeg and some conifer oils. It has a fresh, piney-herbal odour with a citrus touch.

What Terpinolene smells like

Terpinolene blends piney, citrus, woody, herbal and sweet notes. Suppliers describe it as fresh and piney with a citrus edge — sweet and piney with a lime-like top, or with a woody, old lemon-peel nuance; a database gives fresh, woody, sweet, pine and citrus at 10%. A glossary finds it softer than alpha-pinene, with no turpentine harshness, fading within hours.

Leading note
Sweet pine-citrus
Supporting facets
Lime, lemon peel, herbal
Faint facets
Woody
Character
Fresh, sweet, light
  • piney
  • herbal
  • citrus
  • woody

What makes Terpinolene distinctive

Pine and lime together, without turpentine's bite.

How Terpinolene is used

Used in pine, lime and fresh compositions, especially in functional products.

Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).

How Terpinolene differs from similar materials

alpha-Pinene
A glossary finds terpinolene softer than alpha-pinene, with no turpentine harshness and a sweet citrus side.
delta-3-Carene
delta-3-Carene is sweeter-earthy, with damp woodland; terpinolene leans towards lime and lemon peel.

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.

Formulation considerations

Oxidises in air; store well closed.

Identity and classification

Type
Aroma chemical
Origin
Occurs in nature
Odour family
Aromatic / Woody
Note position
Top note
Physical form at room temperature
Liquid
Also known as
Isoterpinene, p-Mentha-1,4(8)-diene
CAS number
586-62-9
Molecular formula
C10H16
Molecular weight
136.23 g/mol
IUPAC name
1-methyl-4-propan-2-ylidenecyclohexene

The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 11463, 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 (2,251 reports): H304 may be fatal if swallowed and enters airways (98% of reports); H411 toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (81.3% of reports); H226 flammable liquid and vapor (77.8% of reports); H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction (76.9% of reports); H315 causes skin irritation (59.3% of reports); H410 very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (18.7% of reports); H400 very toxic to aquatic life (18.6% 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

  • alpha-Pinene

    Aroma chemical · Aromatic / Woody — piney, resinous, fresh, turpentine

  • d-Limonene

    Aroma chemical · Citrus / Fruity — citrus, orange, fresh, light

  • Terpinen-4-ol

    Aroma chemical · Aromatic / Spicy — spicy, herbal, woody, earthy

  • Tea Tree Oil

    Essential oil · Aromatic / Spicy — medicinal, herbal, spicy, woody

Terpinolene is also suggested as a partner on the pages for alpha-Terpinene.

Used in formulas and accords

Used in 6 published formulas

Terpinolene is an ingredient in 1 perfume formula, 2 accords and 3 bases in the Formula & Accord Library.

Community formulas

RUŌOD House Originals

Original compositions by RUŌOD House.

Further reading

Questions about Terpinolene

Is Terpinolene natural or synthetic?

The molecule occurs in nature. Commercial Terpinolene 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 Terpinolene?

586-62-9. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.

Which published formulas use Terpinolene?

Terpinolene is used in 6 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Cranberry Base, Lime Bruise and Neroli Bigarade Base. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.

Sources

  • PubChem — compound 11463, 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 — terpinolene — odour database.
  • Parchem — terpinolene — distributor's description.
  • Premiere Peau — Terpinolene — published perfumery reference.
  • Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 21 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.

Your own records, next to the reference

Keep your own record of Terpinolene — supplier, cost, stock, dilutions and where it is used — in RUŌOD Lab's material library.

The material library All materials