Database/Uv Absorber/Benzophenone-12
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Benzophenone-12 natural?

Mostly not. The n-octyl chain is taken as oleochemical octanol (coconut or palm kernel); the benzophenone chromophore is built from petrochemical benzene derivatives (resorcinol, benzoyl chloride).

INCI nameBenzophenone-12
CAS1843-05-6
FormulaC21H26O3 · 326.4 Da
FunctionUv Absorber
Feedstock2,4-Dihydroxybenzophenone from resorcinol and a benzoyl source is…

How we scored it

Octyl C8H17 113.2 natural (oleochemical octanol); hydroxybenzophenone-oxy core C13H9O3 213.2 petrochemical. 113.2 / 326.4 = 0.35. Synthetic octanol would give 0.0.
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

2,4-Dihydroxybenzophenone from resorcinol and a benzoyl source is alkylated with an octyl halide made from octanol. Octanol is assumed oleochemical for cosmetic grades, though Ziegler or oxo octanol exists (supplier note).

In plain English

A UV-absorbing ingredient (octabenzone) that soaks up ultraviolet light, used in sunscreens and to protect products from light. Its benzophenone core is petrochemical, and its octyl chain is assumed to come from coconut or palm kernel alcohol.

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Structure

2D structure of Benzophenone-12

(2-hydroxy-4-octoxyphenyl)-phenylmethanone

PubChem CID 15797 ↗

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. 2Benzophenone-12. PubChem CID 15797. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3BENZOPHENONE-12. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4BENZOPHENONE-12. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=BENZOPHENONE-12