Database/Emollient/Isoamyl Laurate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Isoamyl Laurate natural?

It depends. Lauric acid is coconut-derived; isoamyl alcohol comes either from fermentation fusel oil or petrochemical pentene hydration.

INCI nameIsoamyl Laurate
CAS6309-51-9
FormulaC17H34O2 · 270.5 Da
FunctionEmollient · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockEster of coconut-derived lauric acid and isoamyl alcohol.…

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
Fusel-oil (fermentation) isoamyl alcoholgrain/sugar fermentation by-product1.00minority
Petrochemical isoamyl alcoholpentene hydration0.68majority
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Lauroyl C12H23O 183.3 Da always natural; isoamyl fragment C5H11O 87.1 Da natural if fusel-oil-derived, petrochemical if synthetic. Fusel-oil route 270.5/270.5=1.0; petrochemical route 183.3/270.5=0.68.
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

Fischer esterification of lauric acid with isoamyl alcohol. Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Ester of coconut-derived lauric acid and isoamyl alcohol. Isoamyl alcohol is available both as a fusel-oil fermentation by-product (natural) and via petrochemical synthesis from pentenes; cosmetic-grade supply is mixed between routes.

In plain English

An emollient ester of coconut-derived lauric acid and isoamyl alcohol, a small alcohol that can come from fermentation byproducts or be made synthetically. It gives a light, quick-absorbing skin feel.

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Structure

2D structure of Isoamyl Laurate

3-methylbutyl dodecanoate

PubChem CID 61386 ↗

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. 2Isoamyl Laurate. PubChem CID 61386. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ISOAMYL LAURATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ISOAMYL LAURATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ISOAMYL%20LAURATE