Home › Glossary › Aurantiol

Aurantiol

Q: Is Aurantiol natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Fully synthetic. Produced by condensation of hydroxycitronellal with methyl anthranilate in a Schiff base reaction. The reaction is straightforward and produces a stable, easy-to-use material. Aurantiol is a classic teaching molecule in perfumery schools — it demonstrates how Schiff bases can create olfactory effects that neither parent molecule possesses alone..

FLOWERS / floral · orange blossom · muguet

Aurantiol

Category	FLOWERS
Subcategory	floral · orange blossom · muguet
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	N/A — synthetic molecule (Schiff base of hydroxycitronellal and methyl anthranilate)
Appearance	Yellow to amber crystalline powder or waxy solid with orange blossom-like odor
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	N/A — synthetic molecule
Pyramid	Heart

Luminous, orange-blossom floral with a honeyed, slightly animalic warmth. Aurantiol smells like neroli dipped in warm honey — bright, floral, with an unexpected depth.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Bright, luminous orange-blossom floralcy with honeyed warmth. Sweeter and deeper than neroli, less indolic than natural orange blossom absolute. There is a particular 'Schiff base glow' — an iridescent, almost shimmering quality — that sits between fresh and warm. Slightly animalic undertone adds depth. Cleaner than jasmine, warmer than magnolia.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Bright orange-blossom burst, luminous and honeyed.

After a few hours

Floral heart deepens. Animalic warmth emerges. Honeyed character rounds.

After a few days

Warm, soft floral base. Persistent and skin-close.

The Full Story

A synthetic molecule (methyl anthranilate Schiff base with hydroxycitronellal) designed to carries orange blossom and neroli character. Aurantiol is one of the classic Schiff bases in perfumery — molecules formed by the condensation of an aldehyde with an amine, producing materials with unique olfactory properties.

The scent is luminous and floral, distinctly orange-blossom-like, with a honeyed sweetness and subtle animalic warmth. It combines the fresh-floral brightness of neroli with the waxy-honeyed depth of orange blossom absolute. The Schiff base structure gives it a particular quality — slightly iridescent, almost shimmering — that simpler molecules cannot replicate.

Aurantiol is a workhorse in orange blossom reconstructions and floral-amber compositions. It provides the transition between the fresh, citrusy top note of neroli and the deeper, more narcotic character of orange blossom absolute. The material has good tenacity and blends particularly well with linalool, indole, and methyl anthranilate.

This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Rose Monotone. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

—

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Schiff bases like aurantiol are named after Hugo Schiff, a 19th-century German-Italian chemist. In perfumery, Schiff bases are prized because they slowly hydrolyze on skin and release their parent molecules over time — creating a 'blooming' effect where the scent literally unfolds chemically as it is worn.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Fully synthetic. Produced by condensation of hydroxycitronellal with methyl anthranilate in a Schiff base reaction. The reaction is straightforward and produces a stable, easy-to-use material. Aurantiol is a classic teaching molecule in perfumery schools — it demonstrates how Schiff bases can create olfactory effects that neither parent molecule possesses alone.

Molecular Formula	C₁₈H₂₇NO₃
CAS Number	89-43-0
Botanical Name	N/A — synthetic molecule (Schiff base of hydroxycitronellal and methyl anthranilate)
IFRA Status	Restricted — IFRA 51st Amendment limits Aurantiol usage due to sensitization potential of Schiff bases. Maximum concentration varies by product category.
Synonyms	Hydroxycitronellal methyl anthranilate Schiff base
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Lasting Power	400 hours at 100%
Appearance	Yellow to amber crystalline powder or waxy solid with orange blossom-like odor
Boiling Point	162.00 °C. @ 101.00 mm Hg
Flash Point	201.00 °F. TCC ( 93.89 °C. )
Specific Gravity	1.02160 to 1.02730 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index	1.50360 to 1.51090 @ 20.00 °C.

In Perfumery

Heart note in orange blossom, neroli, and floral-amber compositions. Aurantiol functions as the bridge between fresh neroli character and the deeper, more animalic qualities of orange blossom absolute. It is central to most modern neroli accords. The Schiff base structure provides excellent tenacity and a luminous quality that simple florals lack. Pairs with linalool, indole, methyl anthranilate, and petitgrain.