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Polysantol

Q: Is Polysantol natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Fully synthetic. Produced via proprietary a Swiss fragrance house chemical synthesis involving construction of the cyclopentene alcohol framework. MW 222..

WOODS AND MOSSES / woody · warm

Polysantol

Category	WOODS AND MOSSES
Subcategory	woody · warm
Origin
Volatility	Base Note
Botanical	N/A — synthetic molecule (a Swiss fragrance house)
Appearance	colorless clear liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	Synthesized worldwide — a Swiss fragrance house proprietary
Pyramid	Base

Synthetic sandalwood with extraordinary staying power. Creamy, milky, softly woody -- more patient than the real thing.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Creamy, milky, and warmly woody. Smoother and more linear than natural Mysore sandalwood, which has a richer, more animalic complexity. Polysantol leans slightly powdery with a lactonic warmth that reads as 'comfort.' Less dry than Javanol, less rosy than Bacdanol. The drydown is notably persistent -- a soft sandalwood halo that clings to skin for days.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Creamy, milky sandalwood, faint cedar aspects

After a few hours

Warm, soft woody envelope, lactonic warmth

After a few days

Persistent sandalwood halo, barely-there but unmistakable

The Full Story

Polysantol (CAS 107898-54-4) is a a Swiss fragrance house synthetic sandalwood molecule with one of the longest tenacities of any aroma chemical: 336-400 hours on a blotter strip. Its substituted cyclopentene alcohol structure produces a creamy, milky sandalwood character with musky undertones and faint cedarwood aspects.

Registered by a Swiss fragrance house in 1985, Polysantol was designed to address the growing scarcity and cost of Mysore sandalwood oil (Santalum album), whose supply collapsed as Indian sandalwood forests were depleted. Where natural sandalwood is rich, complex, and slightly animalic, Polysantol is cleaner and more linear -- a deliberate simplification that makes it easier to control in formulas.

The molecule is highly diffusive with exceptionally low volatility, making it effective in both fine fragrance and functional applications where persistence on fabric and skin is critical.

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

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Related: Almond Tree · Ambrox Super · Amburana Wood · Amyris · Blonde Woods · Caoutchouc · Cashalox · Cashmir Wood

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Polysantol lasts over 14 days on a paper blotter -- one of the longest-lasting single molecules in perfumery. This extraordinary persistence comes from its high molecular weight and low vapor pressure, which make it almost reluctant to evaporate.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Fully synthetic. Produced via proprietary a Swiss fragrance house chemical synthesis involving construction of the cyclopentene alcohol framework. MW 222.

Molecular Formula	C15 H26 O
CAS Number	107898-54-4
Botanical Name	N/A — synthetic molecule (a Swiss fragrance house)
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	Polysantol, santol pentenol, (Z)-3-methyl-5-(2,2,3-trimethylcyclopent-3-en-1-yl)pent-2-en-1-ol
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Lasting Power	336 hours at 100.00%
Appearance	colorless clear liquid
Boiling Point	298.00 to 299.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash Point	> 212.00 °F. TCC ( > 100.00 °C. )

In Perfumery

Polysantol is a base note sandalwood component used as either a primary sandalwood substitute or as a modifier to extend and brighten natural sandalwood oil. It functions as a fixative and structure-builder in woody, Amber, amber, and creamy floral compositions. Its extraordinary tenacity (300+ hours) makes it the backbone of long-lasting sandalwood accords. Used at 1-10% depending on the desired intensity.