Database/Preservative/Hexamidine
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Hexamidine natural?

No. The aromatic rings derive from benzene via phenol, the hexane-1,6-diyl linker from petrochemical hexanediol or dibromohexane, and the amidine nitrogen from ammonia and nitriles.

INCI nameHexamidine
CAS3811-75-4
FormulaC20H26N4O2 · 354.4 Da
FunctionPreservative
FeedstockMade by alkylating 4-hydroxybenzonitrile with a 1,6-dihalohexane and…

How we scored it

C20H26N4O2 (354.4 Da): two benzamidine rings from phenol-derived 4-hydroxybenzonitrile, C6 hexane linker, amidine nitrogen from ammonia; all petrochemical; 0 / 354.4 = 0.00.
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

Made by alkylating 4-hydroxybenzonitrile with a 1,6-dihalohexane and converting the nitriles to amidines, all from petrochemical building blocks. No natural-origin route is known.

In plain English

A synthetic preservative that stops the growth of bacteria and fungi in water-containing products. It is used at low levels in skin-care and cosmetic formulas, often supplied as the diisethionate salt. It is made entirely by chemical synthesis.

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

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Structure

2D structure of Hexamidine

4-[6-(4-carbamimidoylphenoxy)hexoxy]benzenecarboximidamide

PubChem CID 65130 ↗

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. 2Hexamidine. PubChem CID 65130. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3HEXAMIDINE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4HEXAMIDINE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=HEXAMIDINE