What Is Citronellyl Acetate Drt?
Citronellyl Acetate Drt is an aroma chemical first prepared in the late 1890s during early experiments that refined components of citronella oil for perfumery. It belongs to the family of chemical compounds known as esters and is produced by reacting citronellol with acetic acid in a carefully controlled process. Modern factories carry out this reaction under the principles of green chemistry, using energy efficient equipment and minimizing waste where possible.
The resulting material is a clear, sometimes faintly yellow liquid at room temperature. Its moderate boiling point and low vapor pressure make it straightforward to handle in a fragrance lab or production line. Because the raw materials are readily available from plant derived feedstocks, Citronellyl Acetate Drt is classed as a nature identical or semi synthetic ingredient rather than being isolated directly from a plant.
Perfumers reach for this ester frequently. It slips easily into a wide range of product bases from fine fragrance to household cleaners which speaks to both its versatility and stability. Despite that broad usefulness it is generally considered a mid range material in terms of price so it is accessible to artisan creators as well as large manufacturers.
What Does Citronellyl Acetate Drt Smell Like?
Most professionals place Citronellyl Acetate Drt in the floral family. Off a freshly prepared blotter it opens with a vivid impression of dewy rose petals warmed by daylight. Within seconds a juicy pear nuance surfaces adding a mellow fruitiness that keeps the floral tone light and friendly. As the minutes tick by a gentle citronella facet peeks through lending a crisp herbal freshness that keeps the profile from becoming overly sweet.
Perfumers break down a fragrance into top, middle and base notes. Top notes are the first to reach the nose, middle notes form the heart of the composition and base notes give lasting depth. Citronellyl Acetate Drt sits firmly in the middle note zone. It arrives soon after the initial sparkle of the top notes subsides and remains detectable for a good part of the wear time, linking bright openings to deeper basenotes such as woods or musks.
On a paper strip its projection is moderate, meaning it does not overpower but still radiates enough character to be noticed at arm’s length. Longevity is solid for a floral heart material, typically lingering for about a full day before fading to a soft whisper.
How & Where To Use Citronellyl Acetate Drt
This is one of those materials that behaves nicely in the lab. It blends without fuss, does not stain and delivers a clear floral glow the moment it meets alcohol or a blend base.
Perfumers reach for Citronellyl Acetate Drt when they want a rosy heart that feels airy rather than jammy. It bolsters traditional rose accords, polishes fruity florals and adds lift to citrus bouquets that risk fading too fast. Because it bridges pear and citronella tonalities it can also freshen green tea or cucumber themes where a subtle floral touch is needed without tipping the formula into heavy perfume territory.
Use it instead of pure citronellol when a cleaner, more elegant profile is preferred or when regulations limit the use of natural rose oil. It layers well with phenethyl alcohol, geraniol and small amounts of damascones to build a modern rose chord. In fruity florals a dash alongside pear aldehyde or allyl amyl glycolate enhances juiciness while keeping the bouquet refined.
Applications are broad: fine fragrance, shampoos, shower gels, soaps, detergents, fabric softeners, all-purpose cleaners and candles all accept it without stability issues. It is less helpful in high heat applications like incense sticks where volatility would waste its beauty.
Typical dosage spans from trace amounts up to about 5 percent of the total fragrance concentrate. At 0.1 percent it gives a gentle pear-rose sheen. Push it above 2 percent and the citronella edge becomes more noticeable, which suits outdoor candle blends but can feel sharp in delicate eau de toilette work.
For ease of weighing prepare a 10 percent solution in ethanol, triethyl citrate or DPG. This makes fine adjustments simpler and spares you from dealing with neat material sticking to glassware.
Safely Information
Working with any aroma chemical calls for basic precautions to protect both the creator and the end user.
- Always dilute before smelling: evaluate at 1 to 10 percent in a suitable solvent rather than sniffing the pure liquid
- Avoid direct inhalation: keep the bottle below the nose and waft vapors toward you in a well-ventilated space
- Personal protective equipment: wear nitrile gloves and safety glasses so accidental splashes do not contact skin or eyes
- Health considerations: some people can develop irritation or allergies, pregnant or breastfeeding individuals should consult a medical professional before use and prolonged exposure to high concentrations should be avoided
Consult the latest Material Safety Data Sheet from your supplier and review it often as updates occur, and always follow current IFRA guidelines for maximum safe dosage in finished products.
Storage And Disposal
When kept in ideal conditions an unopened bottle of Citronellyl Acetate Drt will generally stay fresh for about two years. Once opened you will still get a solid 12 to 18 months of reliable performance provided you store it with care.
A dedicated fragrance fridge set between 4 °C and 8 °C slows oxidation and preserves the rosy facets nicely, yet room-temperature storage works too as long as the space is cool, dry and shaded. Direct sunlight, warm radiators or fluctuating workshop temperatures shorten shelf life so tuck the bottle away in a cabinet or drawer.
Use airtight polycone caps on both neat material and dilutions. They seal far better than glass droppers which often let air creep in and carry solvent vapors out. Each time you decant, choose the smallest bottle that will hold the liquid to minimize the empty headspace. Less air equals less oxidation and a brighter smelling ester.
Label every container clearly with the ingredient name, concentration and any hazard warnings. A quick date stamp helps you track age at a glance. Keep the label facing forward so you can grab the right item quickly and avoid costly mix-ups.
Citronellyl Acetate Drt is readily biodegradable, making disposal simpler than many synthetics. For small hobby-scale leftovers dilute well with plenty of water then pour down the drain if local regulations allow. Larger volumes should go to a licensed chemical waste handler. Never tip raw material straight into soil or waterways and always rinse used glassware into a waste solvent jar rather than the sink.
Summary
Citronellyl Acetate Drt is a nature-identical ester that delivers a clean rose-pear glow with a breezy hint of citronella. It slides into almost any fragrance family, lifting floral hearts, sharpening fruity accords and freshening household products without fuss. Affordable, stable and easy to blend it has earned a permanent spot in many perfumers’ kits.
Remember that it sits in the middle note range, lasts about a day on a blotter and can show a sharper green edge at high levels. Factor those traits into your formula, keep the bottle cool and tightly capped and you will have a fun workhorse ingredient ready to star in everything from luxury eau de parfum to backyard candle blends.