Geranyl formate (CAS 105-86-2) — Floral Top to middle Note Fragrance Ingredient
Geranyl formate
CAS 105-86-2
What Is Geranyl formate?
Geranyl formate is a floral-fruity fragrance compound found in perfumes and personal care products. It contributes to the fresh, rosy notes in many scented items from soaps to fine fragrances. This ester is valued for its ability to add complexity to floral bouquets while providing a natural, dewy quality that enhances freshness and lift in compositions.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFEWhat Does Geranyl formate Smell Like?
Geranyl formate bursts with a sparkling, dewy rose character reminiscent of fresh petals after morning rain. The opening is bright and slightly green, like biting into a crisp apple with floral undertones. As it evolves, the scent develops a rounded fruitiness akin to ripe pears and lychee, settling into a clean, rosy musk with whisper-thin honeyed nuances. The dry-down maintains a delicate floralcy that never becomes cloying, making it ideal for adding naturalistic top notes to floral and fruity compositions.
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Used to enhance the aldehydic floral bouquet, contributing a fresh rosy nuance that balances the heavier ylang-ylang and jasmine heart notes.
Adds a crisp, dewy quality to the chypre structure, brightening the galbanum top and complementing the floral heart.
Provides subtle fruity-floral lift to the dense jasmine and rose accord, preventing the composition from becoming overly heavy.
Contributes to the fresh carnation accord, adding a sparkling quality that enhances the spicy floral character.
Used sparingly to bridge the citrus top notes with herbal elements, providing a soft floral transition.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CC(C)=CCC\C(C)=C\COC=O
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Geranyl formate is a monoterpene ester formed by the condensation of formic acid with geraniol. Industrially produced through acid-catalyzed esterification, it’s a colorless to pale yellow liquid with a characteristic rosy-fruity odor. The molecule’s ester group makes it moderately polar, while the terpene backbone contributes to its volatility and fragrance profile. Though naturally occurring in small quantities in some essential oils like citronella and palmarosa, commercial production is almost exclusively synthetic for consistency and cost-effectiveness.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Boiling Point | 218-220 °C |
|---|---|
| Density | 0.906 g/cm³ |
| Refractive Index | 1.456-1.462 |
| Flash Point | 96 °C |
| Solubility | Insoluble in water, miscible with alcohol and oils |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 0.5-2% | Up to 5% | Floral modifier |
| Soap | 0.1-0.5% | Up to 1% | Fresh floral note |
| Detergents | 0.05-0.2% | Up to 0.5% | Freshness booster |
| Cosmetics | 0.2-1% | Up to 2% | Floral-fruity accent |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use in trace amounts to brighten rose accords without adding heaviness.
Alternatives & Comparisons
For a softer, less green floral character with better stability in alkaline formulations.
When a more citrusy, less rosy floral note is desired with similar volatility.
For a deeper, more tenacious rose note with woody undertones.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.
IFRA Status
No restrictions under IFRA standards. Listed in IFRA Transparency List with no usage limitations.
GHS Classification
RIFM Assessment
RIFM assessment concludes safe use at current industry levels based on available data.
Sustainability
As a synthetic material, geranyl formate production has minimal environmental impact compared to natural extraction. The synthesis from renewable turpentine-derived geraniol offers a sustainable alternative to plant-derived equivalents. Modern manufacturing processes achieve high atom economy with minimal waste generation.
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References
- Bauer et al. (2001). Common Fragrance and Flavor Materials. Wiley-VCH. ISBN 3-527-30364-2
- Arctander, S. (1969). Perfume and Flavor Chemicals. Allured Publishing.
- IFRA Standards Library (2021). 49th Amendment. IFRA
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.
Report a data errorIngredient Data Sheet
CAS 105-86-2Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 182.26 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 3.5🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 221 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.075 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 103.5 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Involatility Index | 0.006💻 Calculated |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -1.327💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | CC(=CCCC(=CCOC=O)C)C🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Heart💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Very slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 2.2 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Primary Descriptors | freshfruitygreenleafyrose• leffingwell |
| Functional Groups | etheralkene💻 RDKit |
| “‘leafy” odor, diffusive and remotely fruity. Reminiscent of Rose, Geranium, Bergamot, Ncroli, and with an intriguing note of Apple- 4-56; 5-17; 26-558; 77-179; 86-55; 90-242; skins and Ginger.”📖 Arctander | |
| Geranyl formate has a fresh, green, leafy, rose odor with a bitter taste.📖 Fenaroli | |
Sensory Thresholds
| Odor Detection Threshold | 0.2 ppm📖 van Gemert |
Regulatory Status
| IOFI Classification | Nature Identical📖 Fenaroli |
Physical data: PubChem (NIH/NLM), U.S. EPA CompTox Dashboard, EPA OPERA models, RDKit. Odor & flavor: Arctander (Perfume & Flavor Chemicals), Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients, Leffingwell. Thresholds: van Gemert (Compilations of Odour Threshold Values). Regulatory: IFRA Standards 51st, FEMA GRAS. Trade names: Surburg (Common Fragrance & Flavor Materials). All data compiled and cross-referenced for perfumertools.com.
Physicochemical Properties
DTXSID: DTXSID0047614
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 182.263 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 0.918 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 236.563 °C📊 OPERA |
| Melting Point | -57.523 °C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 107.267 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.458 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 200.623 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 3.675 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 3.624 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 3.624 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 5.78 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.094 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Viscosity | 2.078 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 28.299 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 137.599 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 26.3 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 0 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 2 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 6 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 54.744 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 21.702 Å^3📊 OPERA |
Data Sources:
🔬 EPA Experimental data from U.S. EPA CompTox Chemicals Dashboard & CTX APIs. 📊 OPERA Predicted using EPA's OPERA QSAR models. 💻 Computed Calculated from SMILES using RDKit.
