Database/Antimicrobial/Benzalkonium Chloride
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Benzalkonium Chloride natural?

Mostly. The fatty alkyl chain and chloride are natural/mineral; the benzyl and dimethylamino groups are petrochemical.

INCI nameBenzalkonium Chloride
CAS63449-41-2
FormulaC22H40ClN · 354.0 Da
FunctionAntimicrobial · Antistatic
FeedstockManufactured by quaternising a coconut-derived fatty amine with…

How we scored it

C12 variant C21H38ClN 340 Da: dodecyl 169.3 Da natural + Cl 35.5 Da mineral = 204.8 Da; benzyl+dimethylamino 135.2 Da petrochemical → 205/340 = 0.60.
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

Menshutkin quaternisation of alkyl dimethylamine with benzyl chloride (SN2). Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Manufactured by quaternising a coconut-derived fatty amine with benzyl chloride, a petrochemical toluene derivative. Alkyl chain length varies (C8–C18) and some grades use petrochemical Ziegler alcohols instead of coconut-derived ones.

In plain English

An antimicrobial preservative and conditioning agent used in cosmetics, wipes and some hair products. It is manufactured by combining a coconut-derived fatty chain with synthetic benzyl and methyl groups from petrochemical sources.

CosIng definition: Benzalkonium Chloride is a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides that conforms generally to the formula:

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Structure

2D structure of Benzalkonium Chloride

benzyl-dimethyl-tridecylazanium chloride

PubChem CID 3014024 ↗

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. 2Benzalkonium Chloride. PubChem CID 3014024. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=BENZALKONIUM%20CHLORIDE