Hexyldeceth-2 is a chemical compound, polyoxyethylene ethers of hexyldecanol, 6 beta-substituted carbon chains 10 carbon chains with a variable polyethylene glycol (PEG (Polyethylene glycol)). Branched.

The name describes the structure of the molecule:

• "Hexyl" indicates an alkyl chain with six carbon atoms.
• "deceth" indicates an alkyl chain with ten carbon atoms that has been ethoxylated.
• "2" indicates the degree of ethoxylation, i.e., the number of ethylene oxide units added to the original molecule.

Description of raw materials used in production and their functions.

• Hexadecyl alcohol (hexadecanol or cetyl alcohol). A fatty alcohol used as a base for the formation of esters. It acts as an emollient and conditioning agent in the formulation of finished products.
• Decyl alcohol. Another fatty alcohol that gets esterified with hexadecyl alcohol. Also acts as an emollient.

Step-by-step summary of industrial chemical synthesis process.

• Esterification Reaction. The hexadecyl alcohol is reacted with decyl alcohol in the presence of an acid catalyst. The product of this reaction is Hexyldeceth-2.
• Purification. The formed Hexyldeceth-2 might need purification to remove any impurities or unconverted reactants. This might include methods like distillation or other purification techniques.

It appears as a colorless liquid.

What it is used for and where

Cosmetics

Antifoaming agent. The constituent factors for foam stabilisation are the concentration of nanoparticles and hydrophobicity. Foam, even when used in separation operations such as fractionation or flotation, can cause a decrease in density and a deterioration in quality in cosmetic products. The defoaming agent (non-polar oil, silicone oils, hydrophobic solid particles or mixtures of both) is strongly influenced by viscosity and, to an almost directly proportional extent, concentration. However, defoamers can carry an irreversible source of contamination.

CAS: 52609-19-5

Safety. 

The term 'eth' refers to the ethoxylation reaction with ethylene oxide after which residues of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, chemical compounds considered carcinogenic, may remain. The degree of safety therefore depends on the degree of purity of the compound obtained. At present, no manufacturer is known to provide this information on the label.