Hedione

Hedione is a synthetic fragrance aroma molecule, recently recognised for its pheromone like responses.

Hedione is a widely used fragrance ingredient in the perfume industry. Its popularity stems from its ability to provide a fresh and airy scent.

This compound, also known as methyl dihydrojasmonate, has a floral aroma with hints of jasmine and bergamot.

Hedione is often used in perfumes to enhance the longevity and diffusion of the fragrance. Its versatility allows it to blend well with various other ingredients, making it a staple in many perfume formulations.

With its pleasant scent and performance benefits, Hedione continues to be a sought-after choice for perfumers worldwide.

Product specification.

CAS No: 24851-98-7
Odour description (decreasing): Fresh, Clean, Sweet, Floral, Jasmine.  Diffusive & Fixative
Solvent: None
Usage: Up to 50%
Synonyms: Methyl Dihydrojasmonate

Hedione along with ISO E Super has to be one of the most widely used aroma chemicals in all of modern day perfumery.

The assumption that hedione is attractive was all but confirmed by a 2015 paper published in the journal NeuroImage by cell physiologists from Bochum and Dresden in Germany.

Chemists found that it activates the putative pheromone receptor VN1R1, located in the olfactory epithelium and one of five still left in humans out of hundreds that occur in other mammals.

It’s the first time that a scent has been known to activate the pheromone receptor in humans.

The scientists then analysed brain activity to find out if the scent could have an impact on the brain, comparing the results with the control scent phenylethyl alcohol, a traditional floral fragrance; it activated brain areas in the limbic system, a part of the brain associated with emotions, memory and motivation, more strongly than the control.

But even more significantly, hedione activated a specific area of the hypothalamus in women, which in turn ignites the endocrine system, promoting a response to sexual cues.

Master perfumer Arcadi Boix Camps wrote of hedione ‘the compound that without a doubt has most influenced modern perfumery and has allowed the great artists to develop their ideas with inspiration… it has become famous because it gives to compositions a delicate, fresh, smooth, radiant, warm, elegant character that blends well with all kinds of perfumes from floral-citrics to woody, chypre and oriental.’ Today, it’s fame is cemented in science as well as art, a true icon of both worlds.

The material has a fairly quiet odour by itself. It is a middle note molecule, almost undetectable from the bottle and best appreciated after appropriate dilution or when incorporated into a blend.