Database/Solvent/Methylal
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Methylal natural?

No. Both methanol and formaldehyde feedstocks are petrochemical; the acetal product retains no natural-origin mass.

INCI nameMethylal
CAS109-87-5
FormulaC3H8O2 · 76.09 Da
FunctionSolvent
FeedstockMethylal is manufactured by acid-catalysed condensation of petrochemical…

How we scored it

Methanol + formaldehyde (both petrochemical) -> dimethoxymethane; 0/76.09 = 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

Methylal is manufactured by acid-catalysed condensation of petrochemical methanol and formaldehyde. No natural-origin production route exists.

In plain English

A synthetic solvent (dimethoxymethane) made from methanol and formaldehyde, both petrochemical. Used to dissolve other ingredients in fast-drying formulas such as some fragrances and aerosol products.

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Structure

2D structure of Methylal

dimethoxymethane

PubChem CID 8020 ↗

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. 2Methylal. PubChem CID 8020. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3METHYLAL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4METHYLAL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=METHYLAL