Database/Emollient/Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Dicaprylyl Carbonate natural?

Mostly. Both octyl chains are natural coconut-derived fatty alcohol; the linking carbonate carbon comes from a petrochemical carbonylation reagent.

INCI nameDicaprylyl Carbonate
CAS1680-31-5
FormulaC17H34O3 · 286.4 Da
FunctionEmollient · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockMade by reacting natural octanol, coconut-derived, with a…

How we scored it

Two caprylyl (octyl) C8H17O groups, 129 Da each, natural = 258 Da; central carbonate C=O 28 Da petrochemical (phosgene/dialkyl carbonate) → 258/286 = 0.90.
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

Methoxide-catalysed carbonate interchange: octoxide + dimethyl carbonate. The film draws the key step and names the steps after it. Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Made by reacting natural octanol, coconut-derived, with a petrochemical carbonate-forming reagent such as dimethyl or diethyl carbonate. The carbonate carbon itself has no commercial natural-origin source.

In plain English

A lightweight, silicone-like emollient that gives creams a silky, non-greasy feel. It is built from two coconut-derived fatty alcohol chains joined by a small synthetic carbonate link.

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Structure

2D structure of Dicaprylyl Carbonate

dioctyl carbonate

PubChem CID 9904000 ↗

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. 2Dicaprylyl Carbonate. PubChem CID 9904000. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3DICAPRYLYL CARBONATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4DICAPRYLYL CARBONATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=DICAPRYLYL%20CARBONATE