The large-scale production is based on the pyrolytic cleavage of ricinoleic acid[4] (Arkema method) and on the hydroformylation of 1-hexene with rhodium 2-ethylhexanoate as a catalyst upon addition of some 2-ethylhexanoic acid (Oxea method):[2][5] Heptanal naturally occurs in the essential oils of ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata), clary sage (Salvia sclarea), lemon (Citrus x limon), bitter orange (Citrus x aurantium), rose (Rosa) and hyacinth (Hyacinthus).

[6] Heptanal is a flammable, slightly volatile colorless liquid of pervasive fruity to oily-greasy odor,[7] which is miscible with alcohols[6] and practically insoluble in water.

[10] Heptanal reacts with benzaldehyde in a Knoevenagel reaction under basic catalysis with high yield and selectivity (> 90%) to jasminaldehyde,[11][2] which is mostly used in fragrances for its jasmine-like aroma as a cis/trans isomer mixture.

[13] Nevertheless, heptanal can be converted into (Z)-2-pentyl-2-nonenal virtually quantitatively in the presence of aqueous boric acid upon azeotropic removal of water.

[14] Full hydrogenation provides the branched primary alcohol 2-pentylnonan-1-ol, also accessible from the Guerbet reaction from heptanol.