Home › Glossary › Cyclamen

Cyclamen

Q: Is Cyclamen natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Fully synthetic. CAS 103-95-7. Synthesized by condensation of 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde with acetaldehyde, followed by hydrogenation. Not found in nature..

FLOWERS / floral · powdery · sweet

Cyclamen

Category	FLOWERS
Subcategory	floral · powdery · sweet
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Cyclamen persicum
Appearance	colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	Mediterranean (Turkey, Levant, North Africa, Eastern Aegean islands)
Pyramid	Heart

Fresh, green-floral, and powerfully diffusive. Cyclamen aldehyde (CAS 103-95-7) is not found in nature -- it is a purely synthetic molecule that defines the modern cyclamen accord.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Fresh, green-floral, and powerfully diffusive. Like standing in a greenhouse full of cyclamen and muguet -- the air is saturated with a bright, clean, slightly ozonic florality that seems to occupy the entire space. Sharp, green, and unmistakably synthetic in the best sense.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Bright, green-floral, diffusive. Sharp and clean.

After a few hours

The initial sharpness softens. Smooth, green, muguet-like warmth.

After a few days

A subtle, clean, green-floral residue. Good substantivity.

The Full Story

Cyclamen in perfumery almost always refers to cyclamen aldehyde (2-methyl-3-(para-isopropylphenyl)propionaldehyde, CAS 103-95-7), a synthetic molecule first created to approximate the scent of Cyclamen flowers, which are too faintly scented for commercial extraction.

The molecule has a powerful, fresh, green-floral character similar to of lily-of-the-valley, cyclamen, and lilac. It is a useful materials in the perfumer's arsenal: stable in most media, substantive (it lasts well on fabric and skin), and effective at very low concentrations.

Cyclamen aldehyde is synthesized by condensation of 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde and acetaldehyde, followed by hydrogenation. Despite its name, it has never been found in nature.

In perfumery, cyclamen aldehyde functions as a top-to-heart note, providing bright, green-floral freshness that lifts compositions and adds diffusion. It is essential in muguet (lily-of-the-valley) accords, fresh-green florals, and ozonic-marine compositions where its powerful diffusion creates a sense of clean, aerated space.

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

—

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Despite being named after cyclamen flowers, cyclamen aldehyde has never been identified in the actual plant. Real cyclamen flowers (Cyclamen spp.) have a very faint scent -- the molecule was designed to capture an idealized, amplified version of what cyclamen might smell like if its flowers were more fragrant.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Fully synthetic. CAS 103-95-7. Synthesized by condensation of 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde with acetaldehyde, followed by hydrogenation. Not found in nature.

Molecular Formula	C₁₃H₁₈O
CAS Number	103-95-7
Botanical Name	Cyclamen persicum
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	sowbread
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Appearance	colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Boiling Point	270-275 °C @ 760 mmHg
Flash Point	113 °C
Specific Gravity	0.946-0.952 @ 25 °C
Refractive Index	1.500-1.506 @ 20 °C

In Perfumery

Top-to-heart note in muguet, fresh-floral, and green compositions. Functions as a diffusive, green-floral lifter. CAS 103-95-7. Purely synthetic (never found in nature). Stable in most media. Used in muguet accords, fresh-green florals, and marine compositions. Essential for creating aerated, clean, diffusive effects.