Lilac

#### Lilac. Next to rose and jasmin, the Lilac fragrance is probably the perfume which is most frequently "created" by the perfumer from synthetic and natural raw materials. Up to now, the essential oil-producing houses have been unable to offer a true, natural oil, derived from lilac flowers and representing these flowers satisfactorily in odor effect. Only a few houses in Grasse, France offer materials which are said to be derived exclusively from lilac flowers. But the author has still to meet one product which strikes him immediately as a true-to-nature, rich and powerful lilac absolute or lilac oil. The so-called **Butaflor Lilas **is one of the closest approaches and even that material is inferior to certain entirely artificial bases. The lilac. **Syringa**** ****Vulgaris**** **and other species of Syringa, is a shrub or a bushy tree, originating in Iran (Persia) and probably in other countries of the Middle East. The lilac was introduced in Europe in the Middle Ages, and is now one of the most common ornamental shrubs in gardens all over Europe: from Italy to Norway, from Greece to Scotland. It is characteristic of many plants that they yield their best fruits, flowers, growth, etc. when they are growing under the "borderline" of cold climate. It is as though nature gave these plants extra strength. In Denmark, the author has seen lilac bushes 60 years old, and over 10 meters high, and other lilacs whose petals measured an inch across, growing in Canada. Both places can boast of lilac flowers with exceptionally delightful and rich fragrance. England, too, is famous for her beautiful and very fragrant lilacs. The flowers bloom in several colors: from snow-white and creamy through all shades of "lilac color", red-blue, to the deepest purple lilac. There is a certain variation in the fragrance of lilac flowers of different color. An absolute has been prepared from the flowers of lilac by hydrocarbon solvent extraction and subsequent alcohol extraction of the produced concrète. According to all reports so far, the results have been very discouraging. A few products labelled Lilac are available today under the brand name of the special process used by the producer (Butaflor Lilac, etc.). As mentioned above, none of the existing lilac absolutes, etc. have anything exceptional to offer with respect to odor effect or power. These virtues can be obtained from an artificial lilac base. As in the case of Muguet (see Lily of the Valley), most perfumers think—and justly—that a good creation of an artificial lilac or muguet is far superior to the so-called natural extracts. An artificial lilac may be based upon synthetic materials to the extent of more than 90% by weight, and may still yield a more true-to-nature odor than any "absolute of lilac" does. Among the most common materials used in the construction of an artificial lilac fragrance are: Amylcinnamic aldehyde methylanthranilate, anisalcohol, anisaldehyde, cassione, cyclamen aldehyde, dimethyl benzyl carbinol, dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate, dimethyl phenylethyl carbinylisobutyrate, heliotropine, hexylcinnamic aldehyde, hydroxy-citronellal, alpha ionone, indole, lilial, linalool, linalylcinnamate, iso cyclocitral, para methoxy phenylacetaldehyde, methyl hexyl acetaldehyde, para methyl phenylacetaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde dimethylacetal, phenylethyl alcohol, ar-methyl phenylethyl alcohol, phenylpropyl alcohol, beta methylcinnamic alcohol, alpha terpineol, etc. etc. Useful natural materials are: Jasmin absolute, rose de mai absolute, mimosa absolute (or concrète for soap perfumes), civet, sage clary concrète or absolute, ylang-ylang oil extra (or ylang-ylang concrète for soap perfumes), etc. In view of the above, it is inconceivable that natural extracts of lilac flowers will find any importance in perfumery unless extraction methods can be improved to the point where they will yield a superior product. See also **Syringa**.