Database/Antimicrobial/Benzoxonium Chloride
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Benzoxonium Chloride natural?

Mostly. Dodecyl chain (coconut/palm kernel) and chloride counter-ion are natural; benzyl group and ethoxylate arms are petrochemical.

INCI nameBenzoxonium Chloride
CAS19379-90-9
FormulaC23H42ClNO2 · 400.0 Da
FunctionAntimicrobial
FeedstockMade by quaternizing N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)dodecylamine (dodecyl from coconut oil,…

How we scored it

Dodecyl C12H25 169.33 Da (natural) + Cl 35.45 Da (natural mineral) = 204.78; benzyl C7H7 91.13 Da + 2x hydroxyethyl 90.12 Da + N 14.01 Da (petrochemical) = 195.26; 204.78/400.0 = 0.51
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

Made by quaternizing N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)dodecylamine (dodecyl from coconut oil, hydroxyethyl from ethylene oxide) with benzyl chloride from toluene. Supplier note on oleochemical dodecyl source.

In plain English

A synthetic antimicrobial ingredient made from a coconut-derived fatty chain and a benzyl group, used to control microbial growth in formulas.

Natural alternatives with the same function

Structure

2D structure of Benzoxonium Chloride

benzyl-dodecyl-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)azanium chloride

PubChem CID 29563 ↗

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. 2Benzoxonium Chloride. PubChem CID 29563. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3BENZOXONIUM CHLORIDE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4BENZOXONIUM CHLORIDE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=BENZOXONIUM%20CHLORIDE