N/A (synthetic — also found naturally in citrus and coriander oils)
Appearance
colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength
High
Producing Countries
Manufactured globally
Pyramid
Heart
Waxy, aldehydic, and faintly citrus. Dodecanal (Aldehyde C-12, lauric aldehyde) is a straight-chain aldehyde that smells of warm candle wax, ironed linen, and a distant echo of orange peel.
Waxy, warm, and softly aldehydic with a faint citrus-soapy undertone. Less sharp than decanal (C-10), which is more citrus-soapy. Less orris-like than myristaldehyde (C-14). Dodecanal is the warmest and most waxy of the frequent fatty aldehydes.
At high concentration, it reads as distinctly waxy and fatty — candle wax, warm tallow. At perfumery doses, it adds a smooth, lifting quality and a subtle soapy radiance.
Dodecanal (also known as Aldehyde C-12 or lauric aldehyde) is a 12-carbon straight-chain aliphatic aldehyde with the formula CH3(CH2)10CHO. It is a key member of the fatty aldehyde series used extensively in perfumery, where it contributes a waxy, soapy, aldehydic character.
The fatty aldehydes (C-8 through C-14) are fundamental building blocks in perfumery. As carbon chain length increases, the character shifts from citrus-fresh (C-8, octanal) through soapy-aldehydic (C-10, decanal) to waxy-fatty (C-12, dodecanal) and finally to orris-waxy (C-14, myristaldehyde). Dodecanal sits at the waxy-warm end of this continuum.
Dodecanal occurs naturally in citrus oils (orange, mandarin) and in various essential oils. It was a key ingredient in the original aldehydic perfume revolution of the 1920s, where the 'fatty' aldehydes C-10, C-11, and C-12 were used in unprecedented quantities to create a new, abstract, sparkling quality.
The aldehydic perfumery revolution began in 1921 when a composition using an unprecedented overdose of fatty aldehydes (C-10, C-11, C-12) created an entirely new olfactory category — abstract, sparkling, and deliberately un-natural. The technique transformed the fragrance industry.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Manufactured through chemical synthesis (oxidation of dodecan-1-ol or reduction of lauric acid). Also occurs naturally in citrus oils and can be isolated from orange oil fractions. CAS number: 112-54-9. Available as a commodity ingredient from all major aroma chemical suppliers.
Molecular Formula
C12H24O
CAS Number
112-54-9
Botanical Name
N/A (synthetic — also found naturally in citrus and coriander oils)
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
LAURIC ALDEHYDE · DODECANAL
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
High
Lasting Power
368 hours at 100.00%
Appearance
colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Boiling Point
185.00 °C. @ 100.00 mm Hg
Flash Point
214.00 °F. TCC ( 101.00 °C. )
Specific Gravity
0.82600 to 0.83400 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index
1.43300 to 1.43700 @ 20.00 °C.
Melting Point
3.00 to 8.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
In Perfumery
Dodecanal is a modifier and radiance enhancer used in top-to-heart positions. It is a core ingredient in aldehydic perfumery — the sparkling, soapy, effervescent quality of classic aldehydic florals depends on fatty aldehydes like C-10, C-11, and C-12 used together. Also useful for adding warmth, lift, and diffusion to floral and woody compositions. A fundamental building block rather than a character note.
