Database/Foam Boosting Surfactant/Acetamide MEA
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Acetamide MEA natural?

No. Acetyl group from petrochemical acetic acid and the hydroxyethylamino group from ethylene oxide and natural-gas ammonia; no natural fragment.

INCI nameAcetamide MEA
CAS142-26-7
FormulaC4H9NO2 · 103.12 Da
FunctionFoam Boosting Surfactant · Hair Conditioning
FeedstockDominant route: monoethanolamine (ethylene oxide and ammonia) acylated…

How we scored it

C4H9NO2, 103.12 Da: acetyl group from acetic acid (methanol carbonylation) and 2-hydroxyethylamino group from ethylene oxide plus ammonia. 0 / 103.12 = 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.

Where it comes from

Dominant route: monoethanolamine (ethylene oxide and ammonia) acylated with acetic acid or an acetate ester. Acetic acid for chemical use is overwhelmingly from methanol carbonylation; fermentation acetic acid is negligible.

In plain English

A small, water-loving amide used as a humectant and conditioning agent, helping hair and skin hold moisture and feel softer. It is made by reacting ethanolamine with acetic acid.

CosIng definition: Acetamide MEA is the aliphatic amide that conforms to the formula:

Natural alternatives with the same function

Structure

2D structure of Acetamide MEA

N-(2-hydroxyethyl)acetamide

PubChem CID 8880 ↗

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. 2Acetamide MEA. PubChem CID 8880. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ACETAMIDE MEA. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ACETAMIDE MEA. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ACETAMIDE%20MEA