Body & Beauty / Compounds / Geranyl nitrile (citronellyl nitrile)

Geranyl nitrile (citronellyl nitrile) on your skin: a safety profile

Moderate risk

(People-specific data is limited; this page draws from human adult context.) Fragrance nitrile — potential metabolic concern from cyanide release via cytochrome P450 oxidation; magnitude depends on specific structure; some nitriles are negligible risk, others release significant HCN

What is geranyl nitrile (citronellyl nitrile)?

The IUPAC name is 3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienenitrile.

Also known as: 3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienenitrile, citronitrile, 3,7-Dimethyl-2,6-octadienenitrile, 2,6-Octadienenitrile, 3,7-dimethyl-.

IUPAC name
3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienenitrile
CAS number
5146-66-7
Molecular formula
C10H15N
Molecular weight
149.23 g/mol
SMILES
CC(=CCCC(=CC#N)C)C
PubChem CID
21768

Risk for people

Moderate risk

Fragrance nitrile — potential metabolic concern from cyanide release via cytochrome P450 oxidation; magnitude depends on specific structure; some nitriles are negligible risk, others release significant HCN

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Geranyl nitrile (citronellyl nitrile).

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
IFRA2020restrictionIFRA restriction — systemic toxicity limits (nitrile metabolism)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where you encounter geranyl nitrile (citronellyl nitrile)

  • Personal Care — perfume, fragrance formulations
  • Fragrance — perfume, cologne, scented personal care products, household fragrance products, candles
    Identified in Fragrance Ingredient Safety Priority Research database (2,325 ingredients)

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Geranyl nitrile (citronellyl nitrile):

  • Citronellol
    Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Geraniol
    Trade-offs: Alternative fragrance ingredient; individual safety profile should be assessed per IFRA standards; sensitization potential varies by compound; patch testing recommended for sensitive individuals.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain geranyl nitrile (citronellyl nitrile)?

Geranyl nitrile (citronellyl nitrile) appears in: perfume (Personal care); fragrance formulations (Personal care); perfume (Fragrance); cologne (Fragrance).

See Geranyl nitrile (citronellyl nitrile) in the body app

Look up products containing geranyl nitrile (citronellyl nitrile), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in body View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. PubChem Compound Database (2026) — database

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →