Database/Preservative/Phenoxyisopropanol
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Phenoxyisopropanol natural?

No. Made from phenol and propylene oxide, both classic petrochemical feedstocks; no natural fragment is present.

INCI namePhenoxyisopropanol
CAS770-35-4
FormulaC9H12O2 · 152.19 Da
FunctionPreservative · Solvent
FeedstockManufactured by reacting phenol with propylene oxide, both…

How we scored it

Phenol ether plus propylene-oxide adduct; both phenol derivatives and propylene-oxide/hydroxypropyl groups are petrochemical.
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.

How it’s made

Phenoxide opens propylene oxide (SN2 at the less hindered carbon), then protonation. Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Manufactured by reacting phenol with propylene oxide, both derived from petroleum. Used as a preservative-boosting solvent in cosmetic formulas.

In plain English

A synthetic solvent and preservative helper made from petroleum-derived phenol and propylene oxide. Helps dissolve other preservatives and keep formulas stable.

CosIng definition: Phenoxyisopropanol is the aromatic ether alcohol that conforms to the formula:

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Structure

2D structure of Phenoxyisopropanol

1-phenoxypropan-2-ol

PubChem CID 92839 ↗

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. 2Phenoxyisopropanol. PubChem CID 92839. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3PHENOXYISOPROPANOL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4PHENOXYISOPROPANOL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PHENOXYISOPROPANOL