Database/Antimicrobial/Heptylglycerin
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Heptylglycerin natural?

It depends. The glyceryl part comes from vegetable glycerin; the seven-carbon chain comes either from castor oil (natural) or from petrochemical oxo synthesis, so the value depends on the supplier, as for Heptyl Undecylenate.

INCI nameHeptylglycerin
CAS10305-39-2
FormulaC10H22O3 · 190.28 Da
FunctionAntimicrobial · Antiperspirant
Feedstock1-Heptanol is etherified with a glycerin-derived three-carbon unit…

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-oil heptanol1-Heptanol from castor oil cracked to heptanal; glyceryl unit from vegetable glycerin1.00not published
Oxo heptanol1-Heptanol from hydroformylation of petrochemical 1-hexene; glyceryl unit from vegetable glycerin0.48not published
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

C10H22O3 190.3 Da: glyceryl C3H7O3 91.1 Da natural (glycerin); heptyl C7H15 99.2 Da natural from castor-oil heptanol, petrochemical from oxo heptanol. Castor route 190.3 / 190.3 = 1.00; oxo route 91.1 / 190.3 = 0.48.
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

1-Heptanol is etherified with a glycerin-derived three-carbon unit (glycidol or epichlorohydrin) and hydrolysed. Heptanol is made both by cracking castor oil (via heptanal) and by oxo synthesis from 1-hexene; suppliers rarely state which.

In plain English

A glycerin-based ether that works as a mild antimicrobial and deodorising agent, a skin-softening emollient and a helper emulsifier. Its glycerin part is plant-derived; the seven-carbon chain comes either from castor oil or from petrochemical heptanol.

CosIng definition: Heptylglycerin is the organic compound that conforms to the formula:

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Structure

2D structure of Heptylglycerin

3-heptoxypropane-1,2-diol

PubChem CID 10313465 ↗

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. 2Heptylglycerin. PubChem CID 10313465. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3HEPTYLGLYCERIN. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4HEPTYLGLYCERIN. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=HEPTYLGLYCERIN