Database/Fragrance/Citronellal
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Citronellal natural?

It depends. The earlier route table lumped turpentine-derived and petrochemical synthetic material together at zero. Myrcene made by pyrolysing beta-pinene from pine turpentine is a natural-origin feedstock, so citronellal hydrogenated from it keeps a value of 1.00.

INCI nameCitronellal
CAS106-23-0
FormulaC10H18O · 154.25 Da
FunctionFragrance
FeedstockCitronellal reaches the market by direct distillation from…

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
natural isolationcitronella or Eucalyptus citriodora essential oil1.00~45%
synthesis from turpentine-derived myrcene or citralbeta-pinene from pine turpentine1.00~30%every carbon traces to turpentine
synthesis from petrochemical citralcitral from isobutene and formaldehyde0.00~25%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Citronellal is C10H18O, 154.25 Da, and every route keeps the whole terpene skeleton, so no fragment split applies. Isolation from citronella oil and synthesis from turpentine-derived myrcene both give 154.25/154.25 = 1.00, because turpentine carbon is natural origin. Only synthesis from petrochemical citral gives 0.00.
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

Citronellal reaches the market by direct distillation from citronella or Eucalyptus citriodora oil, by hydrogenation of citral or myrcene derived from pine turpentine, or by synthesis from citral built from isobutene and formaldehyde. Only the last of these is petrochemical.

In plain English

A citrusy, rose-like fragrance ingredient found naturally in citronella and lemon-scented eucalyptus oils. It may be isolated directly from these plant oils or manufactured synthetically, depending on the supplier.

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…

 4-Terpineol 100% natural origin

A woody, peppery-smelling terpene alcohol and the main fragrant component of tea tree oil. It is used for…

 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 Balsamea Resin 100% natural origin

A sticky resin tapped from balsam fir trees, used for its piney scent and to form a thin…

 Abies Sachalinensis Leaf Oil 100% natural origin

An essential oil steam-distilled from Sakhalin fir needles, giving a fresh, woody fragrance to cosmetics and perfumes. It…

 Abies Sibirica Oil 100% natural origin

A fresh, piney fragrance oil steam-distilled from Siberian fir needles and branches. It comes directly from the tree…

Structure

2D structure of Citronellal

3,7-dimethyloct-6-enal

PubChem CID 7794 ↗

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. 2Citronellal. PubChem CID 7794. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CITRONELLAL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CITRONELLAL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CITRONELLAL