Limonene vs Linalool: what is the difference?
Limonene is a hydrocarbon that is the scent of citrus peel, while linalool carries an alcohol group and is the floral note in lavender.
Sources and notes
- The sentence under the titlefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- The two drawingscomputedMoleculeFinder rule (RDKit MCS)Each molecule's own drawing, as its page shows it. The common core, 3 of 11 atoms, is too small to align on.
Side by side
| Limonene | Linalool | |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular weightCalculated PubChem | 136.23 g/molC10H16 | 154.25 g/molC10H18O |
| Hydrogen-bond donorsCalculated PubChem | 0 | 1 |
| Where each turns upEditorial MoleculeFinder food and product lists |
|
|
| FamilyEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Terpenes | Terpenes |
| Everyday groupEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Scent & aroma | Scent & aroma |
| Chemical groupsCalculated Found by rule (RDKit) | Not recorded | Alcohols |
| Hazard labelReported ECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia via PubChem; ECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia, HSDB via PubChem | Danger | Warning |
| The supplier-filed hazard label's signal word, not a statement about ordinary use. | ||
| Oral LD50Measured HSDB via PubChem | 5,000 mg/kgpure limonene, rat, oral | 2,790 mg/kgpure linalool, rat, oral |
| A single acute animal measure. It ranks nothing about human safety. | ||
Sources and notes
- Molecular weightcomputedPubChemComputed from the structure; the formula is under each weight.
- Hydrogen-bond donorscomputedPubChemThe hydrogens on nitrogen or oxygen that each molecule can lend to a hydrogen bond, counted from its structure.
- Where each turns upfrom sourceMoleculeFinder food and product listsEach amount is an editorial figure from our lists, not a measurement of any one product. Each mark is set by hand on the list, never inferred.
- Familyfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Everyday groupfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Chemical groupscomputedFound by rule (RDKit)Each group is found in the structure by a chemical pattern.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia via PubChem; ECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia, HSDB via PubChem
- Oral LD50from sourceHSDB via PubChem
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- EU CLP Regulationfrom sourceAttributionSource: EUR-Lex, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, © European Union.
- Safe Work Australiafrom sourceAttributionSource: Safe Work Australia, Hazardous Chemical Information System, © Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0.
- Identifiersfrom sourcePubChemPubChem CID 22311 (Limonene) and 6549 (Linalool).
In more detail
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 makes up most 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.
Sources and notes
- The paragraphfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notes
Questions
- What is the difference between Limonene and Linalool?
- Limonene is a hydrocarbon that is the scent of citrus peel, while linalool carries an alcohol group and is the floral note in lavender.
- 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.
Sources and notes
- The answersfrom sourceMoleculeFinderThe first is the pair's answer line; the others are read off the table above.