Sulcatone is a heptenone that is hept-5-en-2-one substituted by a methyl group at position 6.
Definition
Sulcatone is a heptenone that is hept-5-en-2-one substituted by a methyl group at position 6. It is a volatile oil component of citronella oil, lemon-grass oil and palmarosa oil. It has a role as a volatile oil component, an alarm pheromone and a plant metabolite. It is a heptenone and a methyl ketone.
Source: PubChem
US FDA substance register · UNII 448353S93V · registered name METHYL HEPTENONE · single chemical substance
Cosmetic roles
Safety & regulatory references
Not classified under Korea’s toxic-substance GHS list · existing chemical substance
More data — names, identifiers, properties, test records, literature
Names & identifiers
- CAS No.chemical registry number
- 110-93-0
- EC No.EU chemical inventory number
- 203-816-7
- DTXSIDUS EPA chemical ID
- DTXSID5021629
- DTXCIDUS EPA compound ID
- DTXCID501629
- IUPAC
- 6-Methylhept-5-en-2-one
- Molecular formula
- C8H14O
- Molecular weight
- 126.199 g/mol
Measured properties
- Appearance
- Colorless liquid, [Hawley] · Colorless to yellowish liquid with a strong odor, [OECD SIDS]
- Odour
- POWERFUL, FATTY, GREEN, CITRUS ODOR
- Boiling point
- 173 °C @ 760 MM HG · 72.00 to 73.00 °C. @ 18.00 mm Hg
- Melting point
- FP: -67.1 °C · -67 °C
- Solubility
- INSOL IN WATER, SOL IN ALL PROP WITH ALCOHOL, ETHER · 3351 /mg/L @ 20 °C (exp)
- Density
- 0.8546 @ 16 °C/4 °C · 0.846-0.854
- Melting/freezing point
- -67 ℃
- Initial boiling point and range
- 172 ℃
- Flash point
- 56 ℃
- Vapour pressure
- 100 ㎩
- Water solubility
- 3020 ㎎/ℓ ( 25℃)
- Vapour density
- 4.35
- Relative density
- 0.851 (20℃)
- n-Octanol/water partition coefficient (Kow)
- 2.4
- Molecular weight
- 126.2
Values measured on the substance itself. The KOSHA data are a reference for writing and reviewing safety data sheets, not a specification for a commercial raw material.
Source: PubChem · KOSHA safety data sheets (Korea)
What products actually use it for
What the 38 products reported to the US EPA with this ingredient use it for. Products outside cosmetics are included, so the top few rows are its main uses.
- Fragrance36
- Flavouring and nutrient2
Source: US EPA CompTox dashboard
Irritation and sensitisation studies
3 skin studies and 2 eye studies are on record.
The study conclusions largely agree (100%). These tests are on the raw material itself; irritation at the amount in a finished product is a different question.
See all 5 studies
- Not classified
Skin Sensitization · Screening - Not classified
Skin Irritation · Screening - Studies Indicate No Significant Irritation
skin irritation: in vivo · Screening · OECD Guideline 404 (Acute Dermal Irritation / Corrosion) equivalent or similar to - Category 2B
Eye Irritation · Screening - Studies Indicate No Significant Irritation
eye irritation: in vivo · Screening · OECD Guideline 405 (Acute Eye Irritation / Corrosion) equivalent or similar to
Source: US EPA CompTox dashboard
Related literature
- Personal care products disrupt the human oxidation field · 2025
- Human-related volatile organic compound emissions and chemistry in indoor environments · 2025
- Analysis of Aroma Characteristics of ‘Binzi’ and ‘Xiangguo’ Apple—Ancient Cultivars in China · 2024
- Yields and Variability of Ozone Reaction Products from Human Skin. · 2020
- Zebra skin odor repels the savannah tsetse fly, Glossina pallidipes (Diptera: Glossinidae) · 2019
Linked databases 14
- Australian Industrial Chemicals Inventory (AICIS)
- ChEBI
- EU CosIng ingredient list 2
- Korea toxic substances GHS register (NIER)
- KOSHA safety data sheets (Korea)
- NIST Chemistry WebBook
- PubChem 2
- Tlooto literature search 2 3 4 5
- US EPA CompTox dashboard 2
- US EPA DSSTox chemical database
- US FDA substance registration (GSRS)
- US FDA Unique Ingredient Identifier (UNII)
- Wikidata
- Wikipedia · English · Japanese