Geranyl butyrate (CAS 106-29-6) — Sweet Top to Middle Note Fragrance Ingredient

Sweet · Floral

Geranyl butyrate

CAS 106-29-6

Origin
synthetic
Note
Top to Middle
IFRA
Generally safe
Data as of: Apr 2026

What Is Geranyl butyrate?

Geranyl butyrate is a synthetic ester used in perfumery to add fruity, floral notes. It’s found in many consumer products like soaps and air fresheners. This ingredient matters because it provides a cost-effective way to mimic natural fruit essences while offering stability in formulations.

Safety Profile

GENERALLY SAFE
Generally safeUse with awarenessProfessional use
Safe in regulated products
Potential mild irritant in high concentrations
CAS
106-29-6
Formula
Mixture
MW
Variable
Odor Family
Sweet · Floral
Layer 1 · Enthusiast

What Does Geranyl butyrate Smell Like?

Geranyl butyrate offers a bright, fruity aroma reminiscent of fresh peaches and roses. Its top note bursts with juicy sweetness, evolving into a softer floral heart that lingers with a subtle waxy undertone. The dry-down reveals a clean, slightly green character that prevents cloying sweetness.

Scent Profile

In Famous Fragrances

Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.

Chanel No. 5(Chanel, 1921)

Used to enhance the floral bouquet with fruity nuances, adding modernity to the classic aldehydic structure.

Dior J'adore(Dior, 1999)

Provides a peachy counterpoint to the ylang-ylang and Damascus rose heart notes.

Layer 2

2D Molecular Structure

Geranyl butyrate

SMILES: CCCC(=O)OC\C=C(/C)CCC=C(C)C

Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide

The Chemistry

Geranyl butyrate is an ester formed from geraniol and butyric acid. It belongs to the monoterpenoid class and is typically synthesized via Fischer esterification. The compound’s fruity character stems from its molecular structure, which mimics natural fruit esters while offering superior stability.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Boiling Point253 °C
Density0.89 g/cm³

Perfumer Guide

Note Position
Top to Middle
Volatility
Medium (2-4 hours)
Blending
Good
ApplicationTypical %RangeNotes
Fine Fragrance1-5%Up to 10%Fruity-floral modifier
Functional Fragrance0.5-3%Up to 5%Cost-effective fruity note

Classic Accords

+ Citronellol + Linalool = Rose + Hexyl acetate + Ethyl maltol = Peach

Tip: Use with citrus notes to enhance freshness or with vanillin to create gourmand effects.

Alternatives & Comparisons

1
Geranyl acetate CAS 105-87-3

More floral with less fruity character, better for rose reconstructions.

2
Linalyl butyrate CAS 78-36-4

Softer, more bergamot-like character suitable for cologne bases.

Layer 3

Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability

⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer

General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.

IFRA Status

Not restricted by IFRA.

RIFM Assessment

RIFM assessment confirms safe use at current industry levels.

Sustainability

Synthetic production avoids agricultural impacts but depends on petrochemical feedstocks. Recent advances enable bio-based routes from renewable geraniol.

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References

  1. Burdock, G.A. (2010). Fenaroli’s Handbook of Flavor Ingredients. CRC Press.

Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.

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Ingredient Data Sheet

CAS 106-29-6

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight224.34 g/mol🔬 PubChem
LogP (Octanol-Water)4.3🔬 PubChem
Boiling Point350 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
Vapor Pressure0.0195 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA
Flash Point92.8 °C🔬 EPA CompTox
Involatility Index0.0014💻 Calculated
log Kp (skin permeability)-1.015💻 Calculated
SMILESCCCC(=O)OCC=C(C)CCC=C(C)C🔬 PubChem

Volatility & Performance

Fragrance NoteBase💻 Calculated
Volatility ClassVery slow💻 Calculated
Persistence Score3.9 / 5💻 Calculated

Odor & Flavor

Primary Descriptorsfruityrosesweet• leffingwell
Functional Groupsesteretheralkene💻 RDKit
“Sweet, rather heavy, fruity odor reminiscent of Apples, with undertones of red Roses, slightly fatty-oily, but overall very pleasant. Needless to say that traces of free acid are detrimental to this odor picture.”📖 Arctander
Geranyl butyrate has a characteristic fresh, fruity, rose-like odor and sweet apricot-like taste.📖 Fenaroli

Flavor Notes (Arctander)

“Soluble in alcohol, perfume and flavor oils and in mineral oil. Sweet, deep, fruity taste, remotely reminiscent of Apples, Peaches and wild Strawberries. It finds a great deal of use in flavor compositions for imitation Apple, Cherry, Peach, Pine-apple, Orange, Strawberry and various fruit complexes”📖 Arctander

Regulatory Status

FEMA NumberFEMA 2512⚖️ FEMA GRAS
GRAS StatusGenerally Recognized as Safe⚖️ FEMA GRAS
IOFI ClassificationNature Identical📖 Fenaroli
Data Sources & Attribution
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: DTXSID1047152

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight 224.344 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox
Density 0.962 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX
Boiling Point 316.125 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Melting Point -40.827 °C📊 OPERA
Flash Point 95.189 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Refractive Index 1.46 Dimensionless📊 OPERA
Molar Volume 249.944 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA

Partition & Solubility

LogP (Octanol-Water) 4.643 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogD (pH 5.5) 4.643 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogD (pH 7.4) 4.643 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogKoa (Octanol-Air) 7.25 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
Water Solubility 0 mol/L📊 OPERA
Henry's Law Constant 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA

Transport Properties

Vapor Pressure 0.008 mmHg📊 OPERA
Viscosity 3.011 cP📊 OPERA
Surface Tension 27.798 dyn/cm📊 OPERA
Thermal Conductivity 138.481 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 7 count💻 Computed
Aromatic Rings 0 count💻 Computed
Molar Refractivity 68.485 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA
Polarizability 27.15 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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