In short
Tetrahydrolinalool is the fully saturated form of linalool. It has a light floral-citrus note and is much more stable than linalool in harsh bases.
What Tetrahydrolinalool smells like
Tetrahydrolinalool is a light floral, tea-like material — a cleaner, simpler and far more stable linalool. BASF describes it as less woody and herbal but more floral than linalool, with especially better stability; ChemicalBook as linalool-like, slightly fresher but distinctly weaker. Other references list floral-lilac and rose, fresh, tea-like, citrus and woody. It survives detergent and soap bases where linalool would degrade.
- Leading note
- Light floral
- Supporting facets
- Tea-like, lilac, rose
- Faint facets
- Citrus
- Character
- Light, clean, soft, stable
What makes Tetrahydrolinalool distinctive
Stability. It is linalool made weaker but almost indestructible — the choice for bleach, detergent and other harsh products.
Where the descriptions disagree: Most describe it as weaker than linalool; one source calls it sweeter and more floral.
How Tetrahydrolinalool is used
Used in muguet, lily, lilac, mimosa, rose and jasmine compositions, especially in detergents and household products.
Typical role: blender (smooths the joins between other materials).
How Tetrahydrolinalool differs from similar materials
- Linalool
- BASF finds tetrahydrolinalool less woody and herbal, more floral and much more stable; it is weaker than linalool. (compared directly by a cited source)
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
Very stable, including in alkaline and bleach-containing products.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Floral / Citrus
- Note position
- Top to heart note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- CAS number
- 78-69-3
- Molecular formula
- C10H22O
- Molecular weight
- 158.28 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- 3,7-dimethyloctan-3-ol
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 6548, 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 (1,832 reports): H315 causes skin irritation (92.4% of reports); H319 causes serious eye irritation (92.2% of reports); H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction (80.8% of reports). 139 of the reports find it does not meet the hazard criteria. 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
-
Linalool
Aroma chemical · Floral / Citrus — floral, fresh, woody, citrus
-
Dihydromyrcenol
Aroma chemical · Citrus / Aromatic — citrus, lime, fresh, clean
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 40 published formulas
Tetrahydrolinalool is an ingredient in 36 perfume formulas and 4 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Tetrahydrolinalool
Is Tetrahydrolinalool natural or synthetic?
Tetrahydrolinalool is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of Tetrahydrolinalool?
78-69-3. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Tetrahydrolinalool?
Tetrahydrolinalool is used in 40 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Agar Lantern, Asphalt Peony and Birch Ghost. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 6548, checked 19 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- BASF — Tetrahydrolinalool technical information — manufacturer's description.
- ChemicalBook — tetrahydrolinalool (CAS 78-69-3) — odour database.
- Fraterworks — tetrahydrolinalool — 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.