n-Butyl Alcohol

n-Butyl Alcohol

AKA “1-butanol, Butan-1-ol, n-butanol, 71-36-3, Butyl alcohol, Propylcarbinol, 1-hydroxybutane, Butyl hydroxide, Methylolpropane”

Ingredient

Ingredient Facts

N-butyl alcohol

AKA: 1-butanol, Butan-1-ol, N-butanol, 71-36-3, Propylcarbinol, 1-hydroxybutane, Butyl hydroxide, Methylolpropane

Ingredient · Denaturant · EWG: 5

Synthetic

Fragrance

Solvent

Not Clean

Butan-1-ol is a primary alcohol that is butane in which a hydrogen of one of the methyl groups is substituted by a hydroxy group. It it produced in small amounts in humans by the gut microbes. It has a role as a protic solvent, a mouse metabolite and a human metabolite. It is a primary alcohol, a short-chain primary fatty alcohol and an alkyl alcohol.

Solubility 9 % (NIOSH, 2024)

Formula

C4H10O

Mol. Weight

74.12

CAS #

71-36-3

Form

Liquid

State

N-butyl alcohol is a colorless liquid. Used in organic chemical synthesis, plasticizers, detergents, etc.

See origin →

Functions

Denaturant

Perfuming

Added for scent. Can be natural or synthetic. Common irritant and allergen — one of the top reasons people react to products.

Solvent

Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.

Brightening

Antimicrobial

Strengthens Barrier

Adds pleasant scent

Makes alcohol undrinkable

Dissolves other ingredients

Traditional Use

A synthetic solvent derived from petroleum or fermentation processes, developed commercially in the early 20th century. Used in cosmetics to improve product spreadability and act as a preservative booster.