In short
Triplal (also known as Ligustral) is a synthetic aldehyde with a powerful green, leafy note.
What Triplal smells like
Triplal (IFF; also known as ligustral) is a powerful green aldehyde with the smell of freshly cut grass and hedge clippings, and a tart citrus-peel side. IFF's description is a powerful, green, grassy odour that connotes the concentrated, refreshing tartness of lemon and bergamot peels. A perfumery glossary adds a crisp, tart quality with a metallic backbone, and notes that at high concentration it is almost caustic.
- Leading note
- Sharp cut-grass green
- Clear facets
- Tart citrus peel
- Supporting facets
- Metallic, hedge leaves
- Character
- Sharp, tart, crisp, powerful
What makes Triplal distinctive
Its citrus tartness. Plenty of materials smell of cut green leaves; Triplal pairs that with the zest of lemon and bergamot peel and a metallic crispness, which is why it suits fresh citrus and green colognes so well.
Concentration and dilution
Almost caustic at high concentration; its fresh, grassy-citrus character shows in dilution.
How Triplal is used
Used in traces for a natural, sharp green top note in fresh, citrus, floral and functional fragrances.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend); lift (adds diffusion and radiance, especially at the top).
How Triplal differs from similar materials
- Isocyclocitral
- Isocyclocitral is leafier, earthier and more humid, with weedy and stem notes; Triplal is tarter and more citrus-peel-like, with a metallic edge.
- Stemone
- Stemone is a fig-leaf and ivy green with a hint of anise; Triplal is cut grass and hedge with citrus-peel tartness.
- Vertoliff
- Vertoliff, a close cyclohexene-carbaldehyde relative, is described with more lime and unripe-peel freshness.
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
Very strong; covered by an IFRA Standard.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Green / Citrus
- Note position
- Top note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- Ligustral, 2,4-Dimethyl-3-cyclohexenecarboxaldehyde
- CAS number
- 68039-49-6
- Molecular formula
- C9H14O
- Molecular weight
- 138.21 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- 2,4-dimethylcyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 93375, whose own record lists this CAS number; checked 19 October 2026.
Safety and compliance
The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering Triplal:
- "Dimethylcyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde (mixed isomers)" — Restriction, 49th Amendment, published 2020-01
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): H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction. Companies notifying the ECHA C&L Inventory classify it (2,481 reports): H315 causes skin irritation (99.8% of reports); H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction (99.7% of reports); H411 toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (62.7% of reports); H319 causes serious eye irritation (43.3% of reports); H412 harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects (37% of reports). 4 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
-
cis-3-Hexenol
Aroma chemical · Green / Fruity — green, cut grass, leafy, fresh
-
Galbanum Oil
Essential oil · Green / Resinous — green, sharp, bitter, resinous
-
Hedione
Aroma chemical · Floral / Citrus — jasmine, transparent, citrus, airy
Triplal is also suggested as a partner on the pages for 2-Isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine, Cyclogalbanate, Isocyclocitral and Vertoliff.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 6 published formulas
Triplal is an ingredient in 4 accords and 2 bases in the Formula & Accord Library.
Further reading
Questions about Triplal
Is Triplal natural or synthetic?
Triplal is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of Triplal?
68039-49-6. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Triplal?
Triplal is used in 6 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Cranberry Base, Fig Accord and Green Apple Accord. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Is Triplal covered by an IFRA Standard?
Yes. The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering it: "Dimethylcyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde (mixed isomers)" — Restriction, 49th Amendment. The limits depend on the product category; read the Standard itself before formulating.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 93375, 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 — Triplal (with IFF's description) — odour database.
- Premiere Peau — Triplal — published perfumery reference.
- De Hekserij — Triplal — 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.