Piperonal, also known as heliotropin, is an organic compound which is commonly found in fragrances and flavors.

Piperonal can be prepared by the oxidative cleavage of isosafrole or by using a multistep sequence from catechol or 1,2-methylenedioxybenzene.

Piperonal can be used in the synthesis of some pharmaceutical drugs including tadalafil,[7] L-DOPA,[8] and atrasentan.

[11] It is commonly used to add vanilla or almond nuances, generally imparting balsamic, powdery, and floral aspects to a scent's character.

[13] Due to their role in the manufacture of MDMA, safrole, isosafrole, and piperonal are Category I precursors under regulation no.