Dewy lily-of-the-valley, green and aqueous. A single molecule that smells like wet flowers on a cold morning — sharp, clean, with a metallic freshness.
Intensely dewy, green-floral, with a lily-of-the-valley character that is more aqueous and metallic than hydroxycitronellal. At low doses: fresh, transparent, wet petals. At high doses: sharp, almost cucumber-aldehydic. Less sweet than Lyral, less powdery than Lilial, with a clean coldness unique to this molecule.
Bourgeonal (3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)propanal, CAS 18127-01-0) is a synthetic aldehyde with a powerful lily-of-the-valley character. It is a comm on muguet chemicals in contemporary use, known for strong diffusi on and realistic dewy-floral effect.
The scent is intensely green-floral, watery, and slightly metallic — like crushing a fresh stem of lily-of-the-valley between wet fingers. It is more aqueous than hydroxycitronellal (the classic muguet molecule) and less creamy, with a colder, more transparent quality. At high concentrations it becomes almost cucumber-like.
Bourgeonal is also notable for its role in reproductive biology research: it acts as a chemoattractant for human sperm cells, which carry olfactory receptors that respond to this specific molecule. This discovery, published in Science in 2003, made it briefly famous outside perfumery circles.
In 2003, researchers at Ruhr University Bochum discovered that human sperm cells have olfactory receptors (hOR17-4) that respond specifically to bourgeonal, guiding sperm toward the egg. The molecule effectively acts as a chemical compass for human reproduction.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Fully synthetic. Produced by Friedel-Crafts alkylation followed by hydroformylation. The molecule is an aldehyde (3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)propanal) manufactured at industrial scale by several aroma chemical producers.
Molecular Formula
C13H18O
CAS Number
18127-01-0
Botanical Name
N/A (synthetic aldehyde)
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)propanal, Lily aldehyde
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
Medium
Lasting Power
12 hours at 100.00%
Appearance
colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Boiling Point
228.00 to 229.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash Point
195.00 °F. TCC ( 90.00 °C. )
Specific Gravity
0.88500 to 0.89100 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index
1.48600 to 1.49000 @ 20.00 °C.
In Perfumery
Bourgeonal is a top-to-heart note and a key building block for muguet (lily-of-the-valley) accords. It provides the dewy, aqueous quality that makes synthetic muguet compositions convincing. Works alongside Hydroxycitronellal, Lilial (now restricted under IFRA), and Lyral (banned in EU). Its strong diffusi on makes it useful at low concentrations as a freshness booster in floral, green, and aquatic compositions. Essential in modern muguet reconstitutions since the IFRA restricti on of Lilial.
