Phenyl acetaldehyde

Other comments :

Phenyl Acetaldehyde is often marketed diluted in Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol. It has a more honeyed and less green facet than the latter.

Stability :

Aldehydes may form diethylacetals in alcoholic perfumes, with no real impact on their smell
Has a great capacity of polymerisation
Most of the time, the occurrence of a benzenic cycle in a molecule causes a coloration of this molecule through time

Uses in perfumery :

Phenyl Acetaldehyde is used in rosy floral notes, citrus or leather notes.

Year of discovery :

1908

Isomerism :

Phenyl Acetaldehyde does not have any isomer used in perfumery.

Synthesis precursor :

Phenyl Acetaldehyde is a precursor to the synthesis of a Schiff base by reaction with Methyl Anthranilate. This molecule has a pinkish, green, honeydew and mandarin smell. Furthermore, a reaction with methanol in an acid medium synthesizes Viridine®.

Natural availability :

Phenyl Acetaldehyde is present in many flowers such as chicory or flower of Lecythis usitata in Brazil, from which it can be extracted.

Synthesis route :

Phenyl Acetaldehyde can be synthesized during the vapor phase isomerization of styrene oxide, in the presence of aluminum silicate, or from phenylethane-1,2-diol, always during the vapor phase and always in presence of aliminum silicate, used as catalysts.