Database/Perfuming/Geranyl Acetone
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Geranyl Acetone natural?

It depends. The C10 geranyl skeleton is natural only when the linalool or citral precursor comes from pine or essential oils; the added three-carbon ketone unit is petrochemical acetone or acetyl.

INCI nameGeranyl Acetone
CAS3796-70-1
FormulaC13H22O · 194.31 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockMost geranylacetone is made from linalool or citral…

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
Petrochemical linalool or citral (acetylene + acetone, or isobutylene + formaldehyde) then C3 ketone additionPetrochemical C2-C5 blocks and acetone0.00~60% (estimate)
Pine- or essential-oil-derived linalool, geraniol or citral then petrochemical acetone/acetyl C3 additionPine turpentine or lemongrass/litsea oil terpene plus acetone0.71~40% (estimate)
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Geranyl C10H17 137 Da (linalool/citral) + CH2C(O)CH3 C3H5O 57 Da (acetone/acetyl, petrochemical) = 194.3 Da. Pine or essential-oil terpene gives 137.2 / 194.3 = 0.71; petrochemical terpene gives 0.0.
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

Most geranylacetone is made from linalool or citral (by Carroll rearrangement or pseudoionone hydrogenation), mainly via petrochemical acetylene/acetone or isobutylene/formaldehyde chemistry, with a pine- or essential-oil-based minority. The dominant cosmetic route is judged petrochemical, but share data are unavailable.

In plain English

A fragrance ingredient with a fresh, floral-green, slightly fruity scent, used in perfumes and scented products. It is made in a factory from linalool or citral plus a three-carbon acetone-type unit; some producers start from pine terpenes and others from petrochemicals.

Natural alternatives with the same function

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Structure

2D structure of Geranyl Acetone

(5E)-6,10-dimethylundeca-5,9-dien-2-one

PubChem CID 1549778 ↗

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. 2Geranyl Acetone. PubChem CID 1549778. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3GERANYL ACETONE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4GERANYL ACETONE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=GERANYL%20ACETONE