Database/Light Stabilizer/Benzophenone-3
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Benzophenone-3 natural?

No. A benzophenone/phenol derivative manufactured entirely from petrochemical aromatic feedstocks, with no natural building block.

INCI nameBenzophenone-3
CAS131-57-7
FormulaC14H12O3 · 228.24 Da
FunctionLight Stabilizer · Uv Absorber
FeedstockSynthesised by Friedel-Crafts acylation of petrochemical aromatic intermediates…

How we scored it

Benzophenone core from benzene-derived aromatics; explicit petrochemical UV-filter class = 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.

How it’s made

Friedel–Crafts acylation (EAS). Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Synthesised by Friedel-Crafts acylation of petrochemical aromatic intermediates (resorcinol-type phenols and benzoyl chloride). No natural or bio-based route exists commercially.

In plain English

A UV filter (also called oxybenzone) that absorbs UVA and UVB light in sunscreens. It is a fully synthetic aromatic molecule made from petroleum-derived chemicals.

CosIng definition: Benzophenone-3 is a benzophenone derivative that conforms to the formula:

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Structure

2D structure of Benzophenone-3

(2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-phenylmethanone

PubChem CID 4632 ↗

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-3. PubChem CID 4632. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3BENZOPHENONE-3. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4BENZOPHENONE-3. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=BENZOPHENONE-3