PADMA

Description and usage notes:

PADMA is short for Phenyl Acetaldehyde Dimethyl Acetal.

Used widely in perfumery, with a powerful green-earthy, flower-stem-like odour. More green and less floral than phenylacetaldehyde but useful as a supplement to that aldehyde as it isn’t restricted by IFRA.

Arctander says: “This is one of the most widely used ‘acetals’ in perfumery. Although always a minor component, it enters a multitude of fragrance types where it may lend green notes, earthy notes, floral notes, spicy notes or simply power.

It performs excellently with Oakmoss and Vetiver, Geranium, Opopanax, etc. in Lilac, Rose, Muguet, Oriental bases, etc. and with the Methylionones in woody-floral-spicy complexes it is often used in Gardenia, Reseda and Carnation to lend spicy foliage note to the sweet florals, or earthy-rooty notes in Reseda.” 

According to Calkin & Jellinek, the odour detection threshold in air for this material is just 21 parts per billion and they suggest it’s use in Rose, Muguet and Hyacinth accords among others.