Database/Fragrance/Ethylene Dodecanedioate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Ethylene Dodecanedioate natural?

It depends. The twelve-carbon diacid is made both by fermentation and from petrochemicals; the glycol is petrochemical either way.

INCI nameEthylene Dodecanedioate
CAS54982-83-1
FormulaC14H24O4 · 256.34 Da
FunctionFragrance · Perfuming
FeedstockDodecanedioic acid (bio-based or petrochemical) and ethylene glycol.

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
bio-based dodecanedioic aciddodecanedioic acid from yeast fermentation of plant fatty acids or alkanes, esterified with ethylene glycol (petrochemical)0.77growing (bio-based long-chain diacids)dodecanedioyl C12H20O2 196.3 Da natural of 256.3 Da
petrochemical dodecanedioic aciddodecanedioic acid from butadiene via cyclododecane, esterified with ethylene glycol0.00traditionalno natural-origin atoms
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Ethylene dodecanedioate 256.3 Da = dodecanedioyl 196.3 Da + ethylene glycol residue 60.1 Da (petrochemical). Dodecanedioic acid has two commercial routes: fermentation (natural, 196.3/256.3 = 0.77) and petrochemical cyclododecane (0.0). Route-dependent, never averaged.
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

Dodecanedioic acid (bio-based or petrochemical) and ethylene glycol.

In plain English

A synthetic musk-like fragrance ingredient made from ethylene glycol and a twelve-carbon industrial acid, both produced from petrochemical feedstocks.

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Structure

2D structure of Ethylene Dodecanedioate

1,4-dioxacyclohexadecane-5,16-dione

PubChem CID 41270 ↗

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. 2Ethylene Dodecanedioate. PubChem CID 41270. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ETHYLENE DODECANEDIOATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ETHYLENE DODECANEDIOATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ETHYLENE%20DODECANEDIOATE