What Is Citronellyl Tiglate?
Citronellyl Tiglate is an ester created by joining the naturally occurring alcohol citronellol with tiglic acid, a small acid found in a few essential oils. It was first isolated as a distinct aroma material in the late 1960s when perfumers were searching for gentle fruity touch-ups for floral accords. Although the molecule can be traced in certain plants, commercial quantities come almost exclusively from controlled laboratory synthesis where citronellol and tiglic acid are reacted under acidic conditions then purified by fractional distillation.
At room temperature the finished ingredient is a clear liquid that can look water-white or show a very faint straw tint depending on storage age. Its viscosity is similar to a light vegetable oil which makes it easy to weigh and blend. Because the raw materials are widely available and the process is straightforward, Citronellyl Tiglate sits in the lower-to-middle price bracket for perfumery ingredients rather than in the luxury tier.
The material shows up in all kinds of fragrance work from fine fragrance to fabric softener thanks to its stability above 100 °C flash point and its readiness to biodegrade once it reaches wastewater. Most compounding labs keep it on hand as a reliable building block although it is rarely talked about outside professional circles.
What Does Citronellyl Tiglate Smell Like?
Perfumers file Citronellyl Tiglate under the floral family. On a standard blotter it opens with a gentle sweet-pea impression that feels light and airy rather than heady. Within seconds a subtle pear-apple accent peeks through adding a crisp juiciness that prevents the floral part from turning powdery. As the minutes pass a soft iris nuance surfaces, giving the overall scent a mildly powdery elegance without the earthy facet often linked to natural iris extracts. The sweetness remains restrained and never candy-like.
In perfume construction ingredients are often described as top, middle or base notes depending on how fast they evaporate. Citronellyl Tiglate settles firmly in the middle-note zone. It arrives after the brightest citruses have lifted off then stays present for a solid two to four hours before fading into the background. This makes it a useful bridge between sparkling top notes and slower drydown materials such as musks or woods.
Projection sits in the moderate range. It creates a gentle aura rather than a loud cloud, so formulas using it tend to feel close-to-skin and friendly. Longevity on skin is respectable for a middle note, giving noticeable presence through the heart stage of a perfume without stubbornly clinging long after the base has taken over.
How & Where To Use Citronellyl Tiglate
If you enjoy ingredients that behave well in the beaker Citronellyl Tiglate is a delight. It pours easily, dissolves without fuss in most perfume alcohols and keeps a pleasant odor even after hours on the blotter.
Perfumers reach for it when they need to brighten the heart of a floral accord with a light fruity twist that stays polite. It slots neatly into sweet pea or iris themes where a pure floral might smell too powdery or old fashioned. A few drops can also freshen apple or pear accords giving them a more natural juice instead of candy sweetness.
In fine fragrance it often sits around 0.5-2 % of the total oil, enough to shine through the heart without dominating. Functional products such as shampoos or softeners can tolerate higher levels up to 5 % because the surrounding base and surfactants mute its intensity. At trace levels it smells almost purely floral; above 3 % the fruity facet pushes forward and the material starts to feel rounder and sweeter.
Citronellyl Tiglate is sturdy in soap and detergent where many delicate esters crash, yet its subtlety can get lost behind heavy musk or woody bases so pair it with light or mid-weight companions. It is less effective in strongly ambery or tobacco styles where richer fruit notes like osmanthus or apricot lactone perform better.
Prep work is minimal: make a 10 % dilution in ethanol or dipropylene glycol for accurate weighing and safer smelling. The neat material stays fluid at room temp but a quick roll of the bottle between your palms helps if it has cooled and thickened.
Safely Information
Handling Citronellyl Tiglate is straightforward but basic laboratory caution is still required.
- Always dilute before evaluation: prepare a 10 % or lower solution so you can judge the odor without overwhelming your nose
- Never sniff from the bottle: wave the opened vial a short distance under the nose or use a smelling strip to avoid high-concentration vapor
- Ensure good ventilation: work near an extractor fan or open window to limit airborne build-up
- Wear gloves and safety glasses: the liquid can irritate skin or eyes on direct contact and personal protective equipment prevents accidents
- Mind potential health issues: some people develop irritation or sensitization with repeated exposure, pregnant or breastfeeding individuals should consult a doctor before handling and prolonged high-level contact can be harmful even though brief low-level exposure is generally safe
For full peace of mind always check the latest Material Safety Data Sheet from your supplier and follow any updates. Keep usage within current IFRA guidelines to make sure your finished fragrance is both enjoyable and responsible.
Storage And Disposal
When stored with care a sealed bottle of Citronellyl Tiglate typically stays fresh for three to five years before any noticeable shift in odor. The clock starts ticking the moment air first enters the container so good habits matter more than exact dates.
Refrigeration is optional but helpful, especially if you expect the bottle to sit for long stretches. Otherwise a cupboard that remains cool, dry and shaded from direct sunlight keeps the molecule stable. Temperatures that hover around typical room levels work fine as long as sudden heat spikes are avoided.
Choose bottles with polycone caps for both the neat material and any dilutions. The soft conical insert creates a tight seal that beats standard screw tops and far outperforms glass dropper bulbs, which can let air creep in and accelerate oxidation. Replace the cap quickly after every use and wipe the rim so nothing crusts over.
Try to decant into smaller bottles as the level drops so each container stays as full as possible. A minimal air gap slows oxygen-driven changes that can dull the fruity floral sparkle. If you do refrigerate, let the bottle warm to room temperature before opening to prevent condensation inside the neck.
Label every container clearly with the material name, date opened and basic safety notes such as “irritant, avoid skin contact.” Future you or anyone sharing the workspace will thank you.
For disposal, its ready biodegradability means small leftovers from blotter tests or rinse water can go down the drain with plenty of running water unless local rules say otherwise. Larger volumes or expired stock should be collected in a sealed jar and taken to a facility that handles organic solvent waste. Never pour bulk quantities straight into sinks or outdoor soil.
Summary
Citronellyl Tiglate is a lab-made ester that pairs the freshness of citronellol with the gentle bite of tiglic acid to create a floral fruity note sitting between sweet pea, pear and soft iris. In perfumery it shines as a middle-weight helper that lifts floral hearts, freshens apple or pear accords and behaves well in everything from fine fragrance to fabric softener.
The material is fun to work with because it pours easily, stays stable in most bases and gives noticeable payoff even at low levels while remaining budget friendly. It is not the loudest ingredient on the shelf but its polite brightness makes it popular among perfumers who need a natural-feeling fruity twist without resorting to candy aromas.
Keep an eye on airborne exposure, store it cool and full, mind its mid-note lifespan and you will have a reliable tool that earns its keep across many creative projects.