Database/Light Stabilizer/Benzylidene Camphor Sulfonic Acid
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Benzylidene Camphor Sulfonic Acid natural?

Mostly. The camphor-derived bicyclic core and its sulfonate group are natural-origin; the benzaldehyde-derived phenyl ring is petrochemical.

INCI nameBenzylidene Camphor Sulfonic Acid
CAS56039-58-8
FormulaC17H20O4S · 320.4 Da
FunctionLight Stabilizer · Uv Absorber
FeedstockMade by condensing terpene-derived camphor with a petrochemical…

How we scored it

C17H20O4S 320.4Da = camphor-ylidene C10H14O 150Da(1, terpene)+SO3H 81Da(1, sulfonate)+benzylidene ring/bridge C7H5 89Da(0); (150+81)/320=0.72.
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 condensing terpene-derived camphor with a petrochemical benzenesulfonic-acid/benzaldehyde fragment, per the supplied IUPAC structure. Camphor typically comes from pine turpentine (alpha-pinene).

In plain English

A sunscreen ingredient that absorbs UV light. It is made by joining camphor, a compound related to pine trees, with a synthetic aromatic sulfonic acid group.

CosIng definition: Benzylidene Camphor Sulfonic Acid is the organic compound that conforms to the formula:

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Structure

2D structure of Benzylidene Camphor Sulfonic Acid

4-[(E)-(4,7,7-trimethyl-3-oxo-2-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptanylidene)methyl]benzenesulfonic acid

PubChem CID 15349051 ↗

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. 2Benzylidene Camphor Sulfonic Acid. PubChem CID 15349051. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3BENZYLIDENE CAMPHOR SULFONIC ACID. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4BENZYLIDENE CAMPHOR SULFONIC ACID. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=BENZYLIDENE%20CAMPHOR%20SULFONIC%20ACID