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Eucalyptol (1,8-Cineole)

Q: Is Eucalyptol (1,8-Cineole) natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Commercially isolated from Eucalyptus globulus essential oil by fractional distillation and crystallization. Eucalyptus oil is produced on a massive scale — over 3,000 tonnes annually, primarily from China, Australia, and Portugal. 1,8-Cineole can be crystallized out at low temperatures due to its relatively high melting point (1°C). Also produced synthetically from alpha-terpineol..

GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES / camphoraceous · fresh · minty

Category	GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES
Subcategory	camphoraceous · fresh · minty
Origin
Volatility	Top Note
Botanical	N/A — isolated from Eucalyptus globulus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Laurus nobilis
Appearance	Colorless clear liquid with a fresh camphoraceous odor
Producing Countries	Australia, China, India, Portugal, Spain
Pyramid	Top

Cool, camphoraceous-minty with a clean, penetrating freshness. 1,8-Cineole smells like cracking a eucalyptus leaf between your fingers — medicinal, bracing, instantly clearing.

Scent
Terroir & Origins
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Cool, camphoraceous, penetrating. Unmistakably eucalyptus — medicinal, clean, bracing. Produces a physical cooling sensation. More camphoraceous than menthol (which is more purely cold), less piney than alpha-pinene, cleaner than borneol. A subtle herbal sweetness underneath. Volatile — a top-note material with rapid evaporation.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Cool, camphoraceous burst. Penetrating, medicinal, bracing.

After a few hours

Clean herbal-eucalyptus heart. Cooling effect persists. Subtle sweetness.

After a few days

Quick fade. High volatility. Clean, faint camphor trace.

Terroir & Transformation

Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.

The Full Story

CAS 470-82-6. Also known as eucalyptol. A bicyclic monoterpene oxide that is the dominant volatile in eucalyptus (70-90% of Eucalyptus globulus oil), rosemary, bay laurel, sage, and cardamom. It is a widely distributed terpene oxides in the plant kingdom.

The scent is immediately recognizable: cool, camphoraceous, penetrating, with a clean medicinal quality. It produces a physical cooling sensation in the nasal passages due to activation of TRPM8 cold receptors (the same mechanism as menthol, though weaker). There is a subtle sweet-herbaceous undertone beneath the camphor-cool top note.

1,8-Cineole is functional as well as aromatic — it is a proven expectorant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory. Its medicinal uses have been documented since ancient Greek medicine. In perfumery, it provides the eucalyptus-camphor character essential to aromatic, medicinal, and spa-themed compositions.

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Related: 4 Methylanisole · Almaciga · Arnica · Assam Tea · Calycanthus · Camphor · Canvas · Carvone

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Eucalyptus trees produce 1,8-cineole in such quantities that the vapors rising from Eucalyptus forests are actually visible as a blue haze — this haze, formed by the oxidation of terpenes in sunlight, gave Australia's Blue Mountains their name.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Commercially isolated from Eucalyptus globulus essential oil by fractional distillation and crystallization. Eucalyptus oil is produced on a massive scale — over 3,000 tonnes annually, primarily from China, Australia, and Portugal. 1,8-Cineole can be crystallized out at low temperatures due to its relatively high melting point (1°C). Also produced synthetically from alpha-terpineol.

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular Formula	C10H18O
CAS Number	470-82-6
Botanical Name	N/A — isolated from Eucalyptus globulus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Laurus nobilis
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	1,8-Cineole, Eucalyptol, Cajeputol
Physical Properties
Appearance	Colorless clear liquid with a fresh camphoraceous odor
Boiling Point	176.00 to 177.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash Point	122.00 °F. TCC ( 50.00 °C. )
Specific Gravity	0.91900 to 0.92100 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index	1.44800 to 1.45100 @ 20.00 °C.
Melting Point	1.00 to 2.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg

In Perfumery

Top-note modifier in aromatic, spa, and medicinal compositions. 1,8-Cineole provides the eucalyptus character essential to aromatic fougères, spa accords, and inhalation-focused compositions. In men's fragrances, it adds a clean, medicinal freshness alongside lavender and rosemary. It also appears in cardamom (3-5%) and bay laurel (40-50%), contributing to the aromatic character of these spice oils. Usage in fine fragrance is typically moderate — it can overwhelm if overdosed.