A colorless oil, it is the product of coupling geranyl and acetonyl groups.

[1] Geranylacetone can be produced by transesterification of ethyl acetoacetate with linalool: The esterification of linalool can also be effected with ketene or isopropenyl methyl ether.

The resulting linalyl ester undergoes Carroll rearrangement to give geranylacetone.

[2] Geranylacetone is a flavor component of many plants including rice, mango,[3] and tomatoes.

Together with other ketones, geranylacetone results from the degradation of vegetable matter by ozone.