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

Is Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate natural?

It depends. The value depends on whether the octyldodecanol was built from natural or petrochemical fatty alcohol; the neopentanoic acid half is petrochemical (Koch synthesis from isobutene).

INCI nameOctyldodecyl Neopentanoate
CAS158567-66-9
FormulaC25H50O2 · 382.7 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 neopentanoic acid0.78common for cosmetic gradesAlcohol fragment natural; the acid is petrochemical
octyldodecanol from petrochemical fatty alcoholoctyldodecanol made from Ziegler/oxo (ethylene-derived) fatty alcohol, esterified with neopentanoic acid0.00also commercialNo natural-origin atoms
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 382.6 Da = octyldodecanol fragment 297.5 Da + neopentanoic acid acyl 85.1 Da. Natural-alcohol route: 0.78; petrochemical-alcohol route: 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

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

In plain English

An ester of a branched fatty alcohol and neopentanoic acid, a petrochemical building block. Used as an emollient in skin and hair products.

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Structure

2D structure of Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate

2-octyldodecyl 2,2-dimethylpropanoate

PubChem CID 10221530 ↗

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 Neopentanoate. PubChem CID 10221530. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3OCTYLDODECYL NEOPENTANOATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4OCTYLDODECYL NEOPENTANOATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=OCTYLDODECYL%20NEOPENTANOATE