Database/Emollient/Diisopropyl Adipate
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Diisopropyl Adipate natural?

No. Both the adipic acid backbone and the isopropanol ester groups are conventionally petrochemical, with no natural cosmetic-grade route.

INCI nameDiisopropyl Adipate
CAS6938-94-9
FormulaC12H22O4 · 230.30 Da
FunctionEmollient · Fragrance
FeedstockMade by esterifying petrochemical adipic acid, from cyclohexane…

How we scored it

Adipic acid (petrochemical, from cyclohexane oxidation) plus two isopropanol (petrochemical) fragments; no natural component → 0.00.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

How it’s made

Fischer esterification of adipic acid with isopropanol (first arm drawn). The film draws the key step and names the steps after it. Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Made by esterifying petrochemical adipic acid, from cyclohexane oxidation, with petrochemical isopropanol. An emerging bio-based fermentation route to adipic acid exists but is not yet commercially significant for cosmetics.

In plain English

A light, quick-absorbing oil used to make lotions feel silky. Both building blocks are made synthetically from petrochemicals, not from plants.

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Structure

2D structure of Diisopropyl Adipate

dipropan-2-yl hexanedioate

PubChem CID 23368 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Diisopropyl Adipate. PubChem CID 23368. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3DIISOPROPYL ADIPATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4DIISOPROPYL ADIPATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=DIISOPROPYL%20ADIPATE