Database/Emollient/Triisopropyl Citrate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Triisopropyl Citrate natural?

Mostly. Citric acid supplies the natural triester core; the three isopropyl groups come from petrochemical isopropanol.

INCI nameTriisopropyl Citrate
CAS74592-76-0
FormulaC15H26O7 · 318.36 Da
FunctionEmollient
FeedstockMade by esterifying fermentation-derived citric acid with isopropanol,…

How we scored it

Citrate core (fermentation-derived citric acid) C6H5O7 = 189.1 Da natural; 3x isopropyl from isopropanol (synthetic alcohol) = 129.3 Da petrochemical → 189.1/318.36 = 0.59.
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

Made by esterifying fermentation-derived citric acid with isopropanol, a petrochemical solvent-grade alcohol. The citrate backbone accounts for slightly more mass than the synthetic ester groups.

In plain English

An emollient ester made from citric acid and isopropyl alcohol. The citric acid portion comes from fermentation, while the isopropyl groups are synthetic, giving a mixed origin.

Natural alternatives with the same function

Structure

2D structure of Triisopropyl Citrate

tripropan-2-yl 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate

PubChem CID 9905074 ↗

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. 2Triisopropyl Citrate. PubChem CID 9905074. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3TRIISOPROPYL CITRATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4TRIISOPROPYL CITRATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=TRIISOPROPYL%20CITRATE