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General References

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Authors

GP Andrews, DS Jones.

Date of Revision

26 August 2005.

Polyoxyethylene Alkyl Ethers

Nonproprietary Names

The polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers are a series of polyoxyethy- lene glycol ethers of n-alcohols (lauryl, oleyl, myristyl, cetyl, and stearyl alcohol). Of the large number of different materials commercially available, four types are listed in the USPNF 23, one type in the JP 2001, and four types in the PhEur 2005.

BP: Macrogol cetostearyl ether Macrogol lauryl ether Macrogol oleyl ether Macrogol stearyl ether

JP: Lauromacrogol

PhEur: Macrogoli aether cetostearylicus Macrogoli aether laurilicum Macrogoli aether oleicum Macrogoli aether stearylicus

USPNF: Polyoxyl 20 cetostearyl ether Polyoxyl 10 oleyl ether Polyoxyl lauryl ether Polyoxyl stearyl ether

Polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers are employed extensively in cosmetics, where the CTFA names laureth-N, myreth-N, ceteth-N, and steareth-N are commonly used. In this nomen- clature, N is the number of ethylene oxide groups, e.g. steareth- 20.

See also Sections 2–5.

Synonyms

Polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers are nonionic surfactants produced by the polyethoxylation of linear fatty alcohols. Products tend to be mixtures of polymers of slightly varying molecular weights and the numbers used to describe polymer lengths are average values.

Two systems of nomenclature are used to describe these materials. The number ‘10’ in the name Texofor A10 refers to

the approximate polymer length in oxyethylene units (i.e. y, see Section 5). The number ‘1000’ in the name ‘cetomacrogol 1000’ refers to the average molecular weight of the polymer chain.

Synonyms applicable to polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers are shown below.

Brij; Cremophor A; Cyclogol 1000; Empilan KB; Empilan KM; Emulgen; Ethylan C; macrogol ethers; Marlowet; Plurafac; Procol; Ritoleth; Ritox; Texofor A; Volpo.

Table I shows synonyms for specific materials.

Chemical Name and CAS Registry Number

Polyethylene glycol monocetyl ether [9004-95-9] Polyethylene glycol monolauryl ether [9002-92-0] Polyethylene glycol monooleyl ether [9004-98-2] Polyethylene glycol monostearyl ether [9005-00-9]

Empirical Formula and Molecular Weight

See Sections 1, 2, and 5.

Structural Formula

CH3(CH2)x(OCH2CH2)yOH

In the formula, (x + 1) is the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, typically:

lauryl (dodecyl)

14 myristyl (tetradecyl)

16 cetyl (hexadecyl)

18 stearyl (octadecyl)

and y is the number of ethylene oxide groups in the hydrophilic chain, typically 10–60.

The polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers tend to be mixtures of polymers of slightly varying molecular weights, and the