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Aldehyde C-12 MNA

Q: Is Aldehyde C-12 MNA natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Fully synthetic. The C-12 designation is a historical trade name; the molecule has 12 carbons including the branch..

POPULAR AND WEIRD / aldehydic · metallic · waxy

Aldehyde C-12 MNA

Category	POPULAR AND WEIRD
Subcategory	aldehydic · metallic · waxy
Origin
Volatility	Top Note
Botanical	N/A (synthetic — 2-Methylundecanal)
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow liquid with waxy, aldehydic, amber odor
Odor Strength	High
Producing Countries	Manufactured globally
Pyramid	Top

Clean, soapy-waxy, laundry-fresh. MNA (aldehyde C-12) is the most soapy of the classic aldehydes: fresh linen and clean surfaces.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Soapy, waxy, clean-laundry. The defining clean aldehyde. The smell of fresh sheets. If you notice a perfume that smells like clean, MNA is probably the reason.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Sharp soapy-clean burst, waxy

After a few hours

Clean-laundry warmth, less sharp

After a few days

Faint clean-soapy trace, persistent

The Full Story

Aldehyde C-12 MNA (2-methylundecanal, CAS 110-41-8) is a branched eleven-carbon aldehyde (the C-12 name is a historical misnomer). Its scent is distinctly soapy-waxy, defining the olfactory category of clean for most people.

Less orange than C-10, less metallic than C-11, more domestic. Ubiquitous in detergent fragrances.

Functions as a top-note modifier providing clean-laundry lift.

This note in Première Peau. Gravitas Capitale. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Did You Know?

Did you know?

Despite being called C-12, this molecule is 2-methylundecanal. The numbering system in classic perfumery names aldehydes by total carbon count including branches, not by IUPAC rules.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Fully synthetic. The C-12 designation is a historical trade name; the molecule has 12 carbons including the branch.

Molecular Formula	C12H24O
CAS Number	110-41-8
Botanical Name	N/A (synthetic — 2-Methylundecanal)
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	2-Methylundecanal, Methylnonyl acetaldehyde, MNA
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	High
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow liquid with waxy, aldehydic, amber odor
Boiling Point	171.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash Point	200.00 °F. TCC ( 93.33 °C. )
Specific Gravity	0.82200 to 0.83000 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index	1.43000 to 1.43600 @ 20.00 °C.

In Perfumery

Top-note modifier providing soapy-clean lift. CAS 110-41-8. The most soapy of the classic aldehydes. Ubiquitous in detergent and fine fragrances. Defines the concept of clean.