Database/Emollient/Isodecyl Neopentanoate
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Isodecyl Neopentanoate natural?

No. Both the branched alcohol and the branched acid are made from petrochemical olefins, not natural fats.

INCI nameIsodecyl Neopentanoate
CAS60209-82-7
FormulaC15H30O2 · 242.40 Da
FunctionEmollient · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockIsodecanol, a branched oxo-alcohol from petrochemical olefin hydroformylation,…

How we scored it

Isodecanol (petrochemical oxo-alcohol) esterified with neopentanoic/pivalic acid (petrochemical, Koch synthesis); both fragments synthetic. 0.0.
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

Isodecanol, a branched oxo-alcohol from petrochemical olefin hydroformylation, is esterified with neopentanoic (pivalic) acid, made from petrochemical isobutylene by Koch carbonylation. Neither fragment is a natural fatty derivative.

In plain English

A lightweight, non-greasy emollient ester used in skincare and sunscreens for a silky feel. Both its alcohol and acid building blocks are manufactured from petrochemical feedstocks rather than natural fats.

Natural alternatives with the same function

Structure

2D structure of Isodecyl Neopentanoate

8-methylnonyl 2,2-dimethylpropanoate

PubChem CID 10198702 ↗

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. 2Isodecyl Neopentanoate. PubChem CID 10198702. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ISODECYL NEOPENTANOATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ISODECYL NEOPENTANOATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ISODECYL%20NEOPENTANOATE