Database/Hair Dyeing/N-Phenyl-p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is N-Phenyl-p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate natural?

Mostly not. The diphenylamine core is petrochemical benzene-derived; the sulfate counter-ion is natural mineral origin.

INCI nameN-Phenyl-p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate
CAS4698-29-7
FormulaC24H26N4O4S · 466.6 Da
FunctionHair Dyeing
FeedstockSynthesized from petrochemical aniline and phenylenediamine intermediates, then…

How we scored it

2x N-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (petrochemical aromatic diamine) 368.48 Da + H2SO4 (natural sulfate) 98.08 Da → 98.08/466.6 = 0.21.
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

Synthesized from petrochemical aniline and phenylenediamine intermediates, then salted with mineral sulfuric acid for use as a permanent hair-dye component. No alternative route exists.

In plain English

A synthetic aromatic diamine dye intermediate, sold as its sulfate salt, used in permanent hair-colour formulas to build colour shades.

Natural alternatives with the same function

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 Epicatechin 100% natural origin

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 Lawsonia Inermis Extract 100% natural origin

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 Pyrogallol 100% natural origin

A hair-dye ingredient traditionally made by heating gallic acid, itself extracted from plant tannins in gallnuts, until it…

Structure

2D structure of N-Phenyl-p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate

bis(4-N-phenylbenzene-1,4-diamine);sulfuric acid

PubChem CID 78425 ↗

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. 2N-Phenyl-p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate. PubChem CID 78425. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3N-PHENYL-P-PHENYLENEDIAMINE SULFATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4N-PHENYL-P-PHENYLENEDIAMINE SULFATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=N-PHENYL-P-PHENYLENEDIAMINE%20SULFATE