7-METHOXY-3,7-DIMETHYLOCTANAL

Chemical properties

clear colorless liquid

Chemical properties

Methoxydihydrocitronellal is a colorless liquid with a fresh, green, blossom odor and is used in perfumery in floral compositions for fresh, green nuances.

Occurrence

Has apparently not been reported to occur in nature.

The Uses of 7-METHOXY-3,7-DIMETHYLOCTANAL

It is used in many types of floral fragrances, in floral bases, particularly recommended for Ylang-Ylang bases. It blends very well with the “rose” alcohols, with the Cinnamic derivatives and with the Eugenols, Benzylacetate and other common ingredients. It needs more fixation than Hydroxycitronellal which in itself is a fixative, but it also offers fresh-green, almost vegetable-green notes, not found in Hydroxycitronellal, and not found so pleasantly effective in Cyclamen aldehyde. Its softness makes it easy to use, hard to overdose.

Preparation

By catalytic methylation of hydroxycitronellal (Arctander, 1969)

Metabolism

On rice and alfalfa, methoxycitronellal formed as a metabolite of the insect-growth regulator, methoprene, was converted to methoxycitronellic acid and hydroxycitronellic acid and their conjugates (Quistad et al. 1974)