Database/Denaturant/Thymol
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Thymol natural?

It depends. Thymol is either isolated from thyme/ajwain essential oil (natural) or alkylated from petrochemical m-cresol (synthetic); both routes are commercially significant.

INCI nameThymol
CAS89-83-8
FormulaC10H14O · 150.22 Da
FunctionDenaturant · Fragrance
FeedstockBulk and oral-care-grade thymol is generally synthesised from…

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
Extraction from thyme or ajwain essential oilThymus vulgaris or Trachyspermum ammi essential oil1.00~30%
Synthesis from m-cresol and propylene (Friedel-Crafts alkylation)petrochemical m-cresol + propylene0.00~70%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Natural route: isolated from thyme/ajwain essential oil = 1.0. Synthetic route: m-cresol + propylene, Friedel-Crafts alkylation, petrochemical = 0.0. Routes not averaged.
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

Friedel–Crafts alkylation of m-cresol with propylene (acid). Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Bulk and oral-care-grade thymol is generally synthesised from m-cresol and propylene via Friedel-Crafts alkylation, a petrochemical route. A smaller natural-origin supply is extracted from thyme or ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi) essential oil.

In plain English

A phenol found in thyme oil, used as a fragrance and in oral-care products for its herbal scent. Some supply is extracted from thyme or ajwain oil; most bulk material is made synthetically from petrochemical building blocks.

CosIng definition: Thymol is the substituted phenol that conforms to the formula:

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Structure

2D structure of Thymol

5-methyl-2-propan-2-ylphenol

PubChem CID 6989 ↗

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. 2Thymol. PubChem CID 6989. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3THYMOL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4THYMOL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=THYMOL