Helional

Synthetic Ingredient Overview

• 🏭 Manufacturer — Multiple industrial fragrance suppliers

• 🔎 Chemical name — 3-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-methylpropanal

• 🧪 Synonyms — Helional, Floral Anisic Aldehyde

• 🧬 Chemical Formula — C₁₁H₁₄O₃

• 📂 CAS N° — 1205-17-0

• 📘 FEMA — Not listed

• ⚖️ MW — 192.21 g/mol

• 📝 Odor type — Floral / Anisic

• 📈 Odor Strength — Medium

• 👃🏼 Odor Profile — Sweet, slightly harsh, hay-like; floral-animalic; suggestive of hawthorn, mimosa, heliotrope

• ⚗️ Uses — Woody-floral compositions, fougère, chypre, mimosa, cassie, new-mown hay, herbaceous citrus

• 🧴 Appearance — Typically colorless to pale yellow liquid

What is Helional?

Helional is a synthetic floral aldehyde, structurally related to the benzodioxole aromatic ring system. It delivers a hay-like, floral-anisic character, offering an olfactory bridge between floral top/middle notes and the darker, woody or animalic components of a base.

It was developed for fine fragrance work where a heliotrope-hawthorn quality is needed without the volatility or regulatory issues of more reactive aldehydes.

Its character is enhanced by a mild green spiciness, contributing to its versatility in floral, fougère, and herbal constructions.

Olfactory Profile and Perfumery Applications

Helional has a multifaceted odor profile:

• Sweet floral-anisic character

• Dry hay-like sharpness

• Hints of mimosa, cassie, heliotrope, and hawthorn

• Animalic softness in drydown

Application highlights:

• Fougère: adds depth and green complexity

• Chypre: balances floral and mossy elements

• Citrus-herbal: enriches with anisic warmth

• New-mown hay or herbal fields: supports naturalistic accords

• Florals: rounds heliotrope, mimosa, cassie

Synergies: Helional blends well with:

• Coumarin, Isoeugenol – for herbaceous-spicy warmth

• Galbanum, Linalool – for enhanced green lift

• Hedione – to round and diffuse its sharper facets

• Rose oxide, Methyl anthranilate – for floral-anisic layering

Industrial and Technical Uses

Helional is used in:

• Fine fragrance (floral and complex accord work)

• Functional perfumery (cleansers, soaps, room sprays)

• Occasionally in incense or potpourri blends for mimosa-like effects

It is not used in food flavorings and has no FEMA GRAS approval.

Regulatory and Safety Overview

• IFRA: Not currently restricted under IFRA Standards (51st Amendment); use according to dosage best practices

• EU Allergen Listing: Not classified as one of the 26 declarable allergens

• FEMA GRAS: ❌ Not listed

• ECHA: Registered under REACH; not classified as carcinogenic or mutagenic under standard usage

• Toxicology: Generally considered safe at typical use levels; may cause irritation at high concentrations

• Storage: Stable under standard perfumery storage conditions (cool, dry, sealed)

✅ Considered a safe and versatile aldehyde for niche and traditional perfumery use.

Sources

• TGSC Ingredient Database – Helional

• Leffingwell & Associates – Anisic Aldehyde Derivatives

• PubChem CID 7809 – Helional

• Fulvio Ciccolo – Scentspiracy Technical Archive