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Ocimene

Q: Is Ocimene natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Found naturally in many essential oils. Can be isolated by fractional distillation. Also produced synthetically from myrcene. The molecule's instability limits commercial handling — it must be stored under inert gas..

GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES / floral · herbal · green

Ocimene

Category	GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES
Subcategory	floral · herbal · green
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	N/A — terpene found in many essential oils (basil, lavender, mint)
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow liquid with a warm, herbaceous, green odour
Producing Countries	Synthetic production worldwide; naturally found in essential oils of basil, lavender, and mint
Pyramid	Heart

Sweet, herbal-citrus with a warm, slightly woody quality. Ocimene smells like basil leaves held up to warm sunlight — green, sweet, pleasantly aromatic.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Sweet, herbal-citrus. Warm, slightly woody. Basil-like character. More pleasant than myrcene, less sharp than alpha-pinene. A gentle, agreeable terpene without strong personality. Volatile.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Sweet herbal-citrus opening. Gentle and warm.

After a few hours

Brief herbal-sweet heart.

After a few days

Quick fade. Low tenacity. Unstable molecule.

The Full Story

CAS 13877-91-3 (beta-ocimene) / 3338-55-4 (alpha-ocimene). An acyclic monoterpene found in basil, mint, parsley, pepper, orchids, and many other plants. The name derives from the Greek 'okimon' (basil). Ocimene is a common plant volatiles — it is emitted by plants as a defense signal against herbivorous insects.

The scent is sweet, herbal-citrus, with a warm, slightly woody quality. It is less pungent than myrcene, sweeter than alpha-pinene, with a particular basil-like herbal character. The molecule is relatively unstable — it oxidizes easily — which limits its use in formulation.

This note in Première Peau. Simili Mirage · Gravitas Capitale. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Related: Alpha Pinene · Angelica · Angelica Root · Angelica Root Oil · Artemisia · Barrenwort · Beachheather · Behini Tree

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Ocimene is one of the key volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by plants when attacked by caterpillars. Neighboring plants detect the airborne ocimene and pre-emptively activate their own defense systems — a form of chemical 'communication' between plants that was only scientifically confirmed in the 1990s.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Found naturally in many essential oils. Can be isolated by fractional distillation. Also produced synthetically from myrcene. The molecule's instability limits commercial handling — it must be stored under inert gas.

Molecular Formula	C10H16
CAS Number	13877-91-3
Botanical Name	N/A — terpene found in many essential oils (basil, lavender, mint)
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	3,7-DIMETHYL-1,6-OCTADIENE · OCIMEN · BETA-OCIMENE
Physical Properties
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow liquid with a warm, herbaceous, green odour
Boiling Point	176.00 to 178.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash Point	143.00 °F. TCC ( 61.67 °C. )
Specific Gravity	0.79700 to 0.80500 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index	1.48200 to 1.49200 @ 20.00 °C.

In Perfumery

Background component in herbal essential oils. Ocimene contributes to the sweet-herbal character of basil, mint, and other herbs. Rarely used as an isolate due to instability (oxidation). Its primary value is as a natural component of essential oils rather than a standalone ingredient.