Camphor (C10H16O): structure, properties and hazards

Names and identifiers

IUPAC name: (1R,4R)-1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one
Synonyms: 2-bornanone, gum camphor, D-CAMPHOR
+ 38 more
(1R,4R)-1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one, (R)-(+)-Camphor, (R)-Camphor, (1R)-(+)-Camphor, D-(+)-Camphor, Alcanfor, Japanese camphor, d-2-Camphanone, Formosa camphor, Camphor, (+)-, Camphor USP, d-2-Bornanone, DTXSID4024721, Camphor, (1R,4R)-(+)-, (1R,4R)-(+)-CAMPHOR, DTXCID804721, CHEBI:15396, (1R,4R)-1,7,7-Trimethylbicyclo(2.2.1)heptan-2-one, RefChem:1082868, (+)-Camphor, (+)-Bornan-2-one, D(+)-Camphor, (+)-2-Bornanone, (1R,4R)-camphor, Camphor (1R), Bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one, 1,7,7-trimethyl-, (1R,4R)-, camphor (natural), d-Camphor [JAN], (+)-(1r,4r)-camphor, (1R)-1,7,7-Trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one, Camphor (synthetic), NCGC00090681-04, Bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one, 1,7,7-trimethyl-, (1R)-, Dextrocamphor, Bicyclo(2.2.1)heptane-2-one, 1,7,7-trimethyl-, Camphor D-form, Bicyclo(2.2.1)heptan-2-one, 1,7,7-trimethyl-, (1R)-, Camphor, synthetic
Molecular formula: C₁₀H₁₆O
Empirical formula: C₁₀H₁₆O
Molecular weight: 152.23 g/mol
Exact mass: 152.12012
CAS number: 76-22-2
PubChem CID: 159055
Canonical SMILES: CC1(C2CCC1(C(=O)C2)C)C
Isomeric SMILES: C[C@@]12CC[C@@H](C1(C)C)CC2=O
InChI: InChI=1S/C10H16O/c1-9(2)7-4-5-10(9,3)8(11)6-7/h7H,4-6H2,1-3H3/t7-,10+/m1/s1
InChIKey: DSSYKIVIOFKYAU-XCBNKYQSSA-N
Molfile

Names, InChI and the identifiers from PubChem, retrieved 2026-10-14.

Physical properties

TemperaturePressureDensity

Appearance: D-camphor appears as colorless or white crystals. Sublimes. Flash point 65 °C (149 °F). Burns readily with a bright, smoky flame. Penetrating aromatic odor. Pungent, aromatic taste followed by a sensation of cold. (NTP, 1992)[1]
Melting point: 178.8 °C (353.8 °F, NTP 1992)[1]
Boiling point: 204 °C (399 °F) at 760 mmHg (NTP, 1992)[1]
Density: 0.992 at 25 °C (77 °F) (NTP, 1992) - Less dense than water[1]
Solubility in water: less than 1 mg/mL at 15 °C (59 °F, NTP 1992)[1]
Vapor pressure: 1 mmHg at 41.5 °C (106.7 °F)[1]
2 values
Only one source reports it.
Value As written Source
1 mmHgshown 1 mmHg at 106.7 °F [1] CAMEO Chemicalscites National Toxicology Program, Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NTP). 1992. National Toxicology Program Chemical Repository Database. Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
5 mmHg 5 mmHg at 155.5 °F (NTP, 1992) [1] CAMEO Chemicalscites National Toxicology Program, Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NTP). 1992. National Toxicology Program Chemical Repository Database. Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Flash point: 64 °C (148 °F, NTP 1992)[1]
Autoignition temperature: 466 °C (871 °F, NTP 1992)[1]

Value	As written	Source
1 mmHgshown	1 mmHg at 106.7 °F	[1] CAMEO Chemicalscites National Toxicology Program, Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NTP). 1992. National Toxicology Program Chemical Repository Database. Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
5 mmHg	5 mmHg at 155.5 °F (NTP, 1992)	[1] CAMEO Chemicalscites National Toxicology Program, Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NTP). 1992. National Toxicology Program Chemical Repository Database. Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Each value as its source reports it, with the source's number after it (listed under References). Where several sources report a property, the row shows the value most of them agree on, the rule the app uses; open the values to see every one.

Calculated

Heavy atoms: 11
Rings: 2
Aromatic rings: 0
Fraction sp³ carbons (Fsp3): 0.9
H-bond donors: 0
H-bond acceptors: 1
Rotatable bonds: 0
TPSA (Å²): 17.1
Formal charge: 0
XLogP3: 2.2 PubChem
Complexity: 217 PubChem
Stereocenters: 2 definedCIP: C4: R · C7: R
Double-bond geometry: None specified
Point group: C1 of one 3D conformer with its hydrogens, by Athanor’s engine (as in the app)

Elemental analysis

C78.90%
H10.59%
O10.51%

Isotope pattern

Each peak is a nominal mass with its abundance-weighted exact mass, as a percentage of the tallest, from IUPAC natural isotope abundances.

Computed from the structure with RDKit 2026.09 when this page was built, beside PubChem's own computed values from its record; where the two differ, both are shown.

Predicted

log P: 2.4 Crippen (Wildman and Crippen 1999)
log S (water solubility): -2.3 ESOL (Delaney 2004), log mol/L
Synthetic accessibility: 4.12 SA score, 1 easy to 10 hard (Ertl and Schuffenhauer 2009)

Drug-likeness: Lipinski’s rule of five

Molecular weight ≤ 500: 152.24
log P ≤ 5 (Crippen): 2.4
H-bond donors ≤ 5: 0
H-bond acceptors ≤ 10: 1

Passes all four rules.

¹³C NMR shifts, predicted

Predictions, not measurements; each names its method. A measured log P, where a source reports one, is under Physical properties.

Safety

Danger

Most widely reported: 1,847 company reports to ECHA. Source [2].

Flammable
Harmful or irritant
Health hazard

H228Flammable solid (99.7% of reports)
H302Harmful if swallowed (85.9% of reports)
H332Harmful if inhaled (92% of reports)
H371May cause damage to organs (96.5% of reports)

Precautionary statements: P210, P240, P241, P260, P261, P264, P270, P271, P280, P301+P317, P304+P340, P308+P316, P317, P330, P370+P378, P405, P501

View all classifications (2)

[2] European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)This chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria for < 0.1% (1 of 1847) of reports.
[2] European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) · 1,847 reports · DangerH228, H302, H332, H371

First aid

Eyes: First check the victim for contact lenses and remove if present. Flush victim's eyes with water or normal saline solution for 20 to 30 minutes while simultaneously calling a hospital or poison control center. Do not put any ointments, oils, or medication in the victim's eyes without specific instructions from a physician. Immediately transport the victim after flushing eyes to a hospital even if no symptoms (such as redness or irritation) develop. Skin: Immediately flood affected skin with water while removing and isolating all contaminated clothing.[1]
General First Aid: · Call 911 or emergency medical service. · Ensure that medical personnel are aware of the material(s) involved, take precautions to protect themselves and avoid contamination. · Move victim to fresh air if it can be done safely. · Administer oxygen if breathing is difficult. · If victim is not breathing: -- DO NOT perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation; the victim may have ingested or inhaled the substance. -- If equipped and pulse detected, wash face and mouth, then give artificial respiration using a proper respiratory medical device (bag-valve mask, pocket mask equipped…[3]

Safety data sheets on the supplier’s page: Sigma-Aldrich, ChemShuttle, ChemoSapiens.

Always read the supplier’s safety data sheet before working with it.

Spectra

Experimental spectra held by these sources; each link opens the source's own record.

Literature

Reading PubChem, OpenAlex and GSRS…

Bioactivity

Reading ChEMBL…

References

[1]CAMEO Chemicals · Public domain (NOAA) · via PubChem · retrieved 2026-10-14
[2]European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) · ECHA legal notice: reuse with acknowledgement · via PubChem · retrieved 2026-10-14
[3]Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) · Public domain (US DOT) · via PubChem · retrieved 2026-10-14
[4]NMRShiftDB · Linked only · via PubChem · retrieved 2026-10-14
[5]SpectraBase · Linked only · via PubChem · retrieved 2026-10-14
[6]Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) · Linked only · via PubChem · retrieved 2026-10-14
[7]MassBank of North America (MoNA) · CC BY 4.0 · via PubChem · retrieved 2026-10-14
[8]MassBank Europe · Linked only · via PubChem · retrieved 2026-10-14
·Calculated values: computed by Athanor with RDKit 2026.09 from the structure.
·Literature on PubChem

Data last updated 2026-10-14.