Database/Cleansing/Sodium Trideceth Sulfate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Sodium Trideceth Sulfate natural?

Mostly not. Tridecyl (C13) is an odd-carbon chain typically made by petrochemical oxo synthesis, not natural fat hydrolysis; ethoxylate is also petrochemical.

INCI nameSodium Trideceth Sulfate
CAS25446-78-0
FormulaC19H39NaO7S · 434.6 Da
FunctionCleansing · Emulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockTridecyl alcohol is predominantly produced by petrochemical hydroformylation…

How we scored it

Tridecyl C13H27 ~183 Da is a synthetic oxo-process alcohol (odd carbon number atypical of natural fats, petrochemical) + ~3 mol EO ~132 Da (petrochemical) = 315; sulfate+Na ~119 Da (mineral, natural) / 434 total = 0.27
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

Tridecyl alcohol is predominantly produced by petrochemical hydroformylation (oxo process) of C12 olefins, since natural fats yield almost only even-carbon chains. It is then ethoxylated, sulfated, and neutralized with sodium.

In plain English

A cleansing surfactant built from a synthetic (petrochemical) branched alcohol reacted with ethylene oxide and sulfated. Used in shampoos and cleansers to create foam and remove oils.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-sulfo-.omega.-(tridecyloxy)-, sodium salt (1-4 mol EO average molar ratio)

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Structure

2D structure of Sodium Trideceth Sulfate

sodium 2-[2-(2-tridecoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethyl sulfate

PubChem CID 23668601 ↗

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. 2Sodium Trideceth Sulfate. PubChem CID 23668601. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3SODIUM TRIDECETH SULFATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4SODIUM TRIDECETH SULFATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=SODIUM%20TRIDECETH%20SULFATE