Database/Emollient/Octyldodecyl Behenate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Octyldodecyl Behenate natural?

It depends. The value depends on whether the octyldodecanol was built from natural or petrochemical fatty alcohol; the behenic acid half is natural oleochemical.

INCI nameOctyldodecyl Behenate
CAS125804-08-2
FormulaC42H84O2 · 621.1 Da
FunctionEmollient
Feedstockoctyldodecanol (Guerbet alcohol, natural or petrochemical) esterified with…

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
octyldodecanol from natural fatty alcoholoctyldodecanol made by Guerbet dimerisation of coconut/palm-kernel-derived fatty alcohol, esterified with behenic acid1.00common for cosmetic gradesEvery atom of the ester is natural origin
octyldodecanol from petrochemical fatty alcoholoctyldodecanol made from Ziegler/oxo (ethylene-derived) fatty alcohol, esterified with behenic acid0.52also commercialOnly the behenic acid fragment (323.6 Da of 621.1 Da) is natural origin
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Guerbet alcohols are route-dependent by site policy (see Octyldodecanol). Ester 621.1 Da = octyldodecanol fragment 297.5 Da + behenic acid acyl 323.6 Da. Natural-alcohol route: 1.0; petrochemical-alcohol route: 0.52.
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

octyldodecanol (Guerbet alcohol, natural or petrochemical) esterified with behenic acid.

In plain English

An emollient wax ester made by joining a branched fatty alcohol, octyldodecanol, to behenic acid, a fatty acid from rapeseed oil. Adds body and a smooth feel to creams and balms.

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Structure

2D structure of Octyldodecyl Behenate

2-octyldodecyl docosanoate

PubChem CID 22623513 ↗

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. 2Octyldodecyl Behenate. PubChem CID 22623513. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3OCTYLDODECYL BEHENATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4OCTYLDODECYL BEHENATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=OCTYLDODECYL%20BEHENATE