Database/Emollient/Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate natural?

No. Both pentaerythritol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid are manufactured from petrochemical formaldehyde/propylene feedstocks.

INCI namePentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
CAS7299-99-2
FormulaC37H68O8 · 640.9 Da
FunctionEmollient · Viscosity Controlling
FeedstockEster of pentaerythritol, made from formaldehyde and acetaldehyde,…

How we scored it

Pentaerythritol core (from formaldehyde+acetaldehyde, petrochemical) esterified with 4x 2-ethylhexanoic acid (oxo-process, petrochemical). No natural fragment.
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

Ester of pentaerythritol, made from formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, with 2-ethylhexanoic acid, made via the oxo process from propylene. Neither building block has a commercial natural-origin route.

In plain English

An emollient ester made entirely from synthetic building blocks: pentaerythritol from formaldehyde chemistry and 2-ethylhexanoic acid. It gives skincare and haircare products a light, silicone-like slip.

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Structure

2D structure of Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

[3-(2-ethylhexanoyloxy)-2,2-bis(2-ethylhexanoyloxymethyl)propyl] 2-ethylhexanoate

PubChem CID 110956 ↗

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. 2Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate. PubChem CID 110956. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRAETHYLHEXANOATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRAETHYLHEXANOATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PENTAERYTHRITYL%20TETRAETHYLHEXANOATE