NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC, POPULAR AND WEIRD / floral · green · sweet
Jasmone
Category
NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC, POPULAR AND WEIRD
Subcategory
floral · green · sweet
Origin
Volatility
Heart Note
Botanical
N/A — found naturally in Jasminum grandiflorum oil; also produced synthetically
Appearance
colorless clear liquid
Odor Strength
Medium
Producing Countries
N/A — synthetic manufacture; natural source: India, Egypt, Morocco (jasmine)
Pyramid
Heart
Green, herbal, and warmly floral -- the undervalued backbone of jasmine. Cis-jasmone smells less of jasmine petals than of celery seed and warm tea leaves with a floral glow.
Herbaceous, celery-seed, and warmly floral. Not straightforwardly jasmine. Like rubbing dried celery seeds between your palms, then holding them near a bowl of jasmine tea -- herbal, woody, and warm, with a floral radiance in the background. Traces of bread crust and green tea add complexity.
Evolution over time
Immediately
Immediately
Herbaceous, celery-like, with a warm floral radiance. Green and slightly woody.
Cis-jasmone (CAS 488-10-8, molecular formula C11H16O, MW 164.2) is a naturally occurring ketone found in jasmine absolute, where it contributes significantly to the overall character of the flower. Despite its name, cis-jasmone does not smell straightforwardly of jasmine -- its profile is more complex: herbaceous, celery-seed-like, and warmly floral with undertones of tea and bread.
The molecule was first identified in jasmine oil and can be isolated from it, but commercial supply is synthetic, produced via nucleophilic substitution of 3-methyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one and cis-2-pentenyl chloride in the presence of sodium hydroxide.
In perfumery, cis-jasmone is used at trace levels (0.1% of concentrate or less can be effective) to add warmth, volume, and naturalness to floral compositions. It is most valuable in jasmine and tuberose bases, where it provides a three-dimensional quality that purely synthetic reconstructions often lack.
A practical consideration: cis-jasmone is unstable in acidic products and very alkaline detergents, limiting its use in functional perfumery. It is primarily a fine fragrance material.
The molecule is powerful. Small amounts transform a flat floral into something round, warm, and alive.
This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Rose Monotone. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.
Cis-jasmone has been studied as a natural plant defense signal. When released by damaged plants, it attracts parasitoid wasps that prey on the attacking herbivores -- a chemical SOS that recruits bodyguards from the air.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Synthesized via nucleophilic substitution (3-methyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one + cis-2-pentenyl chloride, NaOH). CAS 488-10-8. Occurs naturally in jasmine absolute but is produced synthetically for commercial use.
N/A — found naturally in Jasminum grandiflorum oil; also produced synthetically
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
cis-jasmone, (Z)-jasmone
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
Medium
Lasting Power
400 hours at 100.00%
Appearance
colorless clear liquid
Boiling Point
122.00 °C. @ 0.50 mm Hg
Flash Point
> 212.00 °F. TCC ( > 100.00 °C. )
Specific Gravity
1.03900 to 1.05200 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index
1.49500 to 1.50100 @ 20.00 °C.
In Perfumery
Heart note in jasmine, tuberose, and white flower compositions. Functions as a warmth-and-volume enhancer, adding naturalness to floral accords at trace levels (0.1% or less of concentrate). Essential in high-quality jasmine and tuberose reconstructions. CAS 488-10-8. Unstable in acidic or highly alkaline media -- primarily for fine fragrance.
