Cyclohexyl salicylate (CAS 25485-88-5) — Floral Middle to base Note Fragrance Ingredient
Cyclohexyl salicylate
CAS 25485-88-5
What Is Cyclohexyl salicylate?
Cyclohexyl salicylate is a synthetic fragrance ingredient used in perfumes and personal care products. It’s often found in floral and herbal scents, contributing a soft, powdery character. This versatile molecule helps create long-lasting fragrance effects by acting as a fixative, subtly enhancing other notes without overpowering them.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFEWhat Does Cyclohexyl salicylate Smell Like?
Cyclohexyl salicylate presents a delicate bouquet of powdery florals with a whisper of fresh linen. The initial impression is clean and slightly medicinal, like the ghost of wintergreen in an antique apothecary. As it develops, it reveals a soft, musky undertone reminiscent of sun-warmed skin. The dry-down is remarkably persistent, leaving a subtle trail of almond-like sweetness that blends seamlessly with woody base notes. This chameleon ingredient behaves differently in various formulations – amplifying florals in one context, adding creaminess to vanillas in another.
In Famous Fragrances
Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.
Used as a subtle fixative to extend the legendary floral-aldehyde bouquet, adding a barely perceptible powdery texture that enhances the perfume’s legendary longevity.
Helps bridge the citrus top notes to vanilla base, contributing to the perfume’s seamless evolution with its soft, skin-like muskiness.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: OC1=C(C=CC=C1)C(=O)OC1CCCCC1
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Cyclohexyl salicylate belongs to the ester class, formed through esterification of salicylic acid with cyclohexanol. While not found in nature, its structural components occur widely – salicylates in plants like wintergreen, cyclohexanol as a degradation product of terpenes. Industrial synthesis typically involves acid-catalyzed Fischer esterification. The molecule lacks chiral centers but exhibits conformational flexibility in its cyclohexyl ring, which may influence its odor perception at different temperatures.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Appearance | Colorless to pale yellow liquid |
|---|---|
| Boiling Point | Approx. 300 °C (estimated) |
| Density | ~1.1 g/cm³ (estimated) |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Fragrance | 1-3% | Up to 5% | Used as fixative and modifier |
| Soaps | 0.5-1% | Up to 2% | Adds lasting powdery notes |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use to soften harsh woody notes and add diffusion to heavy floral compositions.
Alternatives & Comparisons
More floral character with better solubility in ethanol, preferred when a brighter top note effect is desired.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.
IFRA Status
Not currently restricted by IFRA standards.
RIFM Assessment
Under evaluation by RIFM, preliminary data suggests low sensitization potential.
Sustainability
As a synthetic material, cyclohexyl salicylate avoids agricultural impacts but requires petrochemical feedstocks. Production typically employs green chemistry principles with high atom economy. Future biotechnological routes may use engineered enzymes for more sustainable synthesis from plant-derived precursors.
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References
- Bauer, K. et al. (2001). Common Fragrance and Flavor Materials. Wiley-VCH.
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.
Report a data errorIngredient Data Sheet
CAS 25485-88-5Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 220.26 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 4.2🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 292 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.0004 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 158 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -1.062💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | C1CCC(CC1)OC(=O)C2=CC=CC=C2O🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Base💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Very slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 7.6 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Primary Descriptors | balsamicfloralherbal• leffingwell |
| Functional Groups | esterphenoletheraromatic💻 RDKit |
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: DTXSID2051928
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 220.268 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 1.113 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 226.5 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | 25.8 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 154 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.559 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 187.343 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 4.5 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 3.646 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 3.61 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 8.93 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Viscosity | 36.408 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 44.128 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 142.909 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 46.53 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 1 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 3 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 2 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 1 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 60.486 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 23.979 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.
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