Database/Emollient/Propanediol Dicaprylate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Propanediol Dicaprylate natural?

It depends. Both caprylic acid chains come from coconut or palm kernel oil, and the 1,3-propanediol core comes from corn-sugar fermentation (natural) or petrochemical acrolein or ethylene oxide (not natural).

INCI namePropanediol Dicaprylate
CAS1020852-63-4
FormulaC19H36O4 · 328.5 Da
FunctionEmollient · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockDominant cosmetic supply uses bio-based 1,3-propanediol from corn…

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
Bio-based 1,3-propanediol (corn fermentation) esterified with coconut caprylic acidcorn glucose; coconut or palm kernel oil1.00~85%
Petrochemical 1,3-propanediol esterified with coconut caprylic acidacrolein or ethylene oxide; coconut or palm kernel oil0.77~15%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

C19H36O4 328.5: 2 octanoyl C8H15O 254.4 (coconut) + O-C3H6-O 74.1 (propanediol). Bio-propanediol: 328.5/328.5 = 1.00; petrochemical propanediol: 254.4/328.5 = 0.77.
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

Dominant cosmetic supply uses bio-based 1,3-propanediol from corn fermentation esterified with oleochemical caprylic acid. A petrochemical propanediol route exists but is a smaller share.

In plain English

A light, silky emollient oil that spreads easily and can dissolve other ingredients. It is made by joining caprylic acid from coconut or palm kernel oil with propanediol, which is mostly produced by fermenting corn sugar.

CosIng definition: Propanediol Dicaprylate is the organic compound that conforms to the formula

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Structure

2D structure of Propanediol Dicaprylate

3-octanoyloxypropyl octanoate

PubChem CID 3085110 ↗

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. 2Propanediol Dicaprylate. PubChem CID 3085110. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3PROPANEDIOL DICAPRYLATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4PROPANEDIOL DICAPRYLATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PROPANEDIOL%20DICAPRYLATE