Database/Antimicrobial/Cetrimonium Methosulfate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Cetrimonium Methosulfate natural?

Mostly. Cetyl chain is coconut- or palm-derived and the sulfur trioxide of the methosulfate anion is mineral; the trimethylammonium head and the methoxy carbon come from petrochemical ammonia, methyl chloride and dimethyl sulfate.

INCI nameCetrimonium Methosulfate
CAS65060-02-8
FormulaC20H45NO4S · 395.6 Da
FunctionAntimicrobial · Antistatic
FeedstockCetyl alcohol (C16 fatty alcohol) converted to cetyldimethylamine…

How we scored it

Cetyl C16H33 225.4 Da (coconut/palm fatty alcohol, natural) + SO3 80.1 Da (mineral sulfur trioxide, natural) = 305.5 Da; N(CH3)3 59.1 Da + CH3O 31.0 Da (methanol/dimethyl sulfate) = 90.1 Da petrochemical; total C20H45NO4S 395.6 Da → 305.5/395.6 = 0.77. Same method as Behentrimonium Methosulfate.
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

Cetyl alcohol (C16 fatty alcohol) converted to cetyldimethylamine and quaternised with dimethyl sulfate.

In plain English

A conditioning and cleansing ingredient made from a coconut- or palm-derived fatty chain attached to a small quaternary ammonium head, used in hair conditioners and shampoos.

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Structure

2D structure of Cetrimonium Methosulfate

hexadecyl(trimethyl)azanium;methyl sulfate

PubChem CID 103114 ↗

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. 2Cetrimonium Methosulfate. PubChem CID 103114. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CETRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CETRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CETRIMONIUM%20METHOSULFATE