Database/Emollient/Heptyl Undecylenate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Heptyl Undecylenate natural?

It depends. The seven-carbon fragments in this ester come either from castor oil or from petrochemical olefins, so the value depends on the supplier.

INCI nameHeptyl Undecylenate
CAS68141-27-5
FormulaC18H34O2 · 282.5 Da
FunctionEmollient
FeedstockCastor-derived or oxo-process C7 acid/alcohol reduced to heptanol…

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
castor-derived heptanoic acidheptanal from castor-oil cracking (co-product of undecylenic acid), oxidised to heptanoic acid reduced to heptanol and esterified with castor-derived undecylenic acid1.00significant (oleochemical C7 producers)undecylenoyl and heptyl fragments both castor-derived
oxo-process heptanoic acidheptanoic acid from hydroformylation of petrochemical 1-hexene reduced to heptanol and esterified with castor-derived undecylenic acid0.59significantthe C7 fragments are petrochemical
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Heptanoic acid (and heptanol) have two commercial routes: castor-oil cracking (natural) and petrochemical oxo synthesis. Heptyl Undecylenate (undecylenoyl 167 Da natural + heptyl-O 115 Da): castor route 1.0; oxo route 0.59.
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

Castor-derived or oxo-process C7 acid/alcohol reduced to heptanol and esterified with castor-derived undecylenic acid.

In plain English

An emollient ester that softens skin. It combines a castor-oil-derived fatty acid with a synthetic alcohol, so it is partly plant-based and partly petroleum-based.

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Structure

2D structure of Heptyl Undecylenate

heptyl undec-10-enoate

PubChem CID 109641 ↗

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. 2Heptyl Undecylenate. PubChem CID 109641. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3HEPTYL UNDECYLENATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4HEPTYL UNDECYLENATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=HEPTYL%20UNDECYLENATE