Database/Perfuming/6-Methyl-5-Hepten-2-One
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is 6-Methyl-5-Hepten-2-One natural?

It depends. Most methylheptenone is made from petrochemical acetone and acetylene or isobutylene, but a natural grade is made by cleaving citral from lemongrass or litsea oil, so the value depends on the supplier.

INCI name6-Methyl-5-Hepten-2-One
CAS110-93-0
FormulaC8H14O · 126.20 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockIndustrial supply is by acetone-acetylene ethynylation followed by…

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
SyntheticPetrochemical acetone with acetylene, or isobutylene, formaldehyde and acetone0.00most of supply
Natural, from citralCitral from lemongrass or litsea oil, cleaved by a retro-aldol reaction1.00small (natural-grade aroma)
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

C8H14O 126.2 Da. Natural route: all eight carbons from essential-oil citral, 126.2 / 126.2 = 1.00. Synthetic route: skeleton built from petrochemical acetone with acetylene, or isobutylene and formaldehyde, 0 / 126.2 = 0.00. The headline is the natural route.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Industrial supply is by acetone-acetylene ethynylation followed by Carroll rearrangement, or from isobutylene, formaldehyde and acetone. Small volumes of natural material come from cleaving citral from lemongrass or citronella oil.

In plain English

A fragrance ingredient with a green, citrus-like, slightly fruity note, found in trace amounts in lemongrass and citronella oils. It is used as a scent component and as an intermediate for making other fragrance chemicals. Commercial supply is mainly synthetic.

Natural alternatives with the same function

2,6-Dimethyl-7-Octen-2-Ol 100% natural origin

Dihydromyrcenol, a fresh, citrus-lime, slightly metallic fragrance ingredient used in many perfumes and cleaning products. It is made…

 Abies Alba Cone Extract 100% natural origin

An extract from fir tree cones that adds a fresh, forest-like scent to cosmetic products.

 Abies Alba Leaf Oil 100% natural origin

Essential oil distilled from fir tree needles, used for its fresh, woody fragrance. A whole natural essential oil.

 Abies Alba Needle Extract 100% natural origin

A fir-needle extract used mainly to add a fresh, woody scent to cosmetics. It comes from extracting the…

 Abies Alba Needle Oil 100% natural origin

An essential oil steam-distilled from the needles of the European silver fir. It gives fragrances and toiletries a…

 Abies Balsamea Needle Extract 100% natural origin

A balsam fir needle extract used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, made by extracting the needles of…

Structure

2D structure of 6-Methyl-5-Hepten-2-One

6-methylhept-5-en-2-one

PubChem CID 9862 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 26-Methyl-5-Hepten-2-One. PubChem CID 9862. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 36-METHYL-5-HEPTEN-2-ONE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 46-METHYL-5-HEPTEN-2-ONE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=6-METHYL-5-HEPTEN-2-ONE