What Is Syringa Aldehyde 50%?
Syringa Aldehyde 50% is a liquid aroma molecule supplied at half strength in a suitable solvent to make it easier to dose and weigh. Chemists first reported the pure aldehyde in the early 1900s while mapping the key odorants in lilac blossoms, and the commercial diluted grade followed soon after as a user-friendly product for perfumers.
The material is fully synthetic. It starts from simple petrochemical or bio-based feedstocks that are converted to cinnamaldehyde derivatives, then fine-tuned through controlled oxidation and purification. The finished aldehyde is blended to 50 % concentration, creating a clear colourless solution that pours freely at room temperature and resists crystallising.
Syringa Aldehyde 50% is part of the standard palette in most fragrance labs. It appears in floral re-constructions, household cleaners, detergents and air care where a lively bloom is needed. Supply chains are well established, so the ingredient is neither rare nor especially pricey, allowing broad use even in large-volume consumer products.
Perfumers value the material for its reliability, good shelf life and ease of handling. Although its synthesis involves several reaction steps, modern production methods keep throughput high and waste low, supporting decent sustainability ratings without driving up cost.
What Does Syringa Aldehyde 50% Smell Like?
This ingredient sits firmly in the floral family.
On a blotter it opens with an assertive bouquet that instantly recalls fresh lilac and hyacinth petals. A crisp green nuance runs alongside, lending the impression of crushed stems and young leaves that prevent the floral tone from feeling too sugary. As the minutes pass a gentle sweetness surfaces, rounding the profile without turning it heavy. Compared with Phenyl Acetaldehyde, a close relative, Syringa Aldehyde is noticeably softer and less sharp while still packing plenty of lift.
In perfumery we group notes into top, middle and base depending on how quickly they evaporate. Syringa Aldehyde behaves as a high middle to light heart note. It flashes on early like a top note, yet it stays detectable well into the fragrance’s core phase, bridging the sparkle of the opening with the richer floral body.
Projection is solid but not overwhelming; a small amount can radiate clearly from skin or fabric creating a vivid first impression. Longevity clocks in at roughly ten hours on a blotter so the note remains audible throughout a typical day before fading into the background.
How & Where To Use Syringa Aldehyde 50%
Perfumers generally find this a friendly material. The 50 % dilution pours smoothly, measures cleanly on a scale and rinses out of glassware without fuss, so it feels low stress compared with sticky resinoids or ultra-potent aldehydes that cling to everything.
Formula wise it shines in lilac, hyacinth, hawthorn and spring-garden accords where you need a bright floral flash that still feels natural. Many reach for it when Phenyl Acetaldehyde would be too piercing or indole notes risk turning the bouquet dirty. Syringa Aldehyde supplies lift, slight greenness and gentle sweetness in one stroke, letting you simplify a floral top while keeping character.
Usage sits anywhere from a trace to roughly 2 % of the finished oil, though some niche perfumers push toward 3 – 4 % for room sprays or candles that need extra bloom. At very low levels it whispers green freshness, almost like snapped stems. Around 0.5 % the lilac facet becomes obvious and adds sparkle to rose or jasmine hearts. Above 2 % the note dominates and can feel raw, so balance it with soft musks, hedione or salicylates for roundness.
Its performance in functional products is solid: excellent bloom in soap, good persistence in shampoos and cleaners, but only moderate hold in dry textiles. It can clash with high levels of ozone or marine notes, and in gourmand perfumes the green edge may feel out of place unless tempered by vanilla or lactones.
No elaborate prep is needed. The material already arrives half-strength, yet most labs still cut it down to a 10 % alcohol or dipropylene glycol solution for smelling strips and fine adjustments. Filter through a small syringe filter if cloudiness appears after long storage, then label the secondary dilution clearly with date and concentration.
Safely Information
Working with any aroma chemical calls for sensible precautions to keep both the perfumer and the workspace safe.
- Always dilute before evaluation: prepare a 1 – 10 % solution in ethanol or DPG so the odour can be judged accurately without overwhelming the nose
- Never smell directly from the bottle: wave the open vial a short distance from the nose or use a smelling strip to avoid a sudden high-dose inhalation
- Ventilation: mix, weigh and smell in a fume cupboard or well-ventilated area to disperse vapours quickly
- Personal protective equipment: wear nitrile gloves and safety glasses to protect skin and eyes from accidental splashes
- Health considerations: some individuals may experience skin irritation or sensitisation, and pregnant or breastfeeding users should consult a medical professional before handling; brief exposure to low concentrations is usually safe whereas prolonged or high-level exposure can be harmful
To stay current and compliant always review the latest Material Safety Data Sheet provided by your supplier and check it periodically for updates, then align your formulas with the most recent IFRA guidelines regarding maximum usage levels in each product category.
Storage And Disposal
When stored correctly Syringa Aldehyde 50 % keeps its punch for roughly two to three years before the top notes start to flatten. A cool dark cupboard at 15 – 20 °C is usually all it needs, though a refrigerator can stretch the shelf life even further if you have space.
Light and heat are the main enemies. Keep bottles well away from windows, radiators and hot production benches so the material does not oxidise or yellow. Always fit polycone caps on both the neat product and any dilutions because they create a tight seal that dropper bottles cannot match. Air exposure speeds up degradation, so decant larger stock into smaller amber vials as you use it to keep headspace to a minimum.
Label every container clearly with the name, concentration, supplier lot number and the key hazard phrases from the Safety Data Sheet. A quick date stamp also helps you track freshness at a glance during busy lab days.
Disposal is straightforward thanks to the ingredient’s ready biodegradability and low ecotoxicity. Small residues on blotters or pipettes can go into the regular solvent waste jar then be handled by your licensed disposal provider. Larger unwanted volumes should be mixed with other spent fragrances or alcohol waste and sent for specialised chemical incineration. Never pour it down the sink even though it is classed as non-hazardous as local regulations usually prohibit direct drain disposal.
Summary
Syringa Aldehyde 50 % is a workhorse floral-green molecule supplied at half strength for easy dosing. It smells like fresh lilac with a leafy snap and a hint of sweetness making it ideal for bringing life to spring bouquets, rose riffs and household cleaners.
The note is fun to play with since a trace can freshen a formula while two percent lets it steer the entire accord. It enjoys strong popularity across both fine fragrance and functional products because it is affordable, reliable and broadly compatible.
Keep an eye on air exposure to maintain brightness, remember it lasts about two to three years when stored well and budget for the extra step of fine tuning around its distinct green edge. Do that and you have a versatile floral booster ready to slot into countless creative briefs.