SHEET /vs/limonene-vs-linalool · COMPARISON
Limonene vs Linalool: what is the difference?
How they differ
from source
Both are terpenes that carry a scent and both turn up on cosmetic ingredient lists as declared allergens. Limonene is a cyclic hydrocarbon, C10H16, and is the whole of citrus peel oil, which is why it is the solvent in orange-oil cleaners as well as a fragrance. Linalool carries an alcohol group, C10H18O, and is the floral, slightly spicy note in lavender, coriander and basil. That single oxygen makes linalool the less volatile and the more soluble of the two. Both oxidise on exposure to air into products that are more sensitising than the fresh molecules, which is why an old bottle of citrus oil is more likely to irritate skin than a new one.
Side by side
| Limonene | Linalool | |
|---|---|---|
| Formula | C10H16 | C10H18O |
| Molecular weight | 136.23 g/mol | 154.25 g/mol |
| Family | Terpenes | Terpenes |
| Everyday group | Scent & aroma | Scent & aroma |
| Functional groups | not recorded | Alcohols |
| GHS signal wordThe supplier-filed hazard label, not a statement about ordinary use. | Danger | Warning |
| Oral LD50A single acute animal measure. It ranks nothing about human safety. | 5,000 mg/kg (oral, rat) | 2,790 mg/kg (oral, rat) |
| Found in | Black pepper, Fruit, Citrus | Black pepper, Citrus |
| CAS number | 138-86-3 | 78-70-6 |
| PubChem CID | 22311 | 6549 |
Common questions
- What is the difference between Limonene and Linalool?
- Both are terpenes that carry a scent and both turn up on cosmetic ingredient lists as declared allergens. Limonene is a cyclic hydrocarbon, C10H16, and is the whole of citrus peel oil, which is why it is the solvent in orange-oil cleaners as well as a fragrance. Linalool carries an alcohol group, C10H18O, and is the floral, slightly spicy note in lavender, coriander and basil.
- Is Limonene bigger than Linalool?
- Linalool is the heavier molecule, 154.25 g/mol against 136.23 g/mol for Limonene. Limonene is C10H16 and Linalool is C10H18O.
- Which has the lower reported LD50, Limonene or Linalool?
- Linalool, at 2,790 mg/kg (oral, rat), against 5,000 mg/kg (oral, rat) for Limonene. An LD50 is one acute animal measurement, and the two here were not necessarily measured in the same species, so it is a data point rather than a ranking of how dangerous either is to a person.