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InventoryRef 4052402/03/2011

2-OCTANOL

Octan-2-ol

2-OCTANOL is listed in the EU CosIng inventory, but no direct annex records are linked on this page yet.

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Regulatory evidence by market

No rule for this ingredient has been imported for any of the 13 markets tracked here.

That describes this inventory, not the law. No imported rule is not evidence that an ingredient is permitted: a rule may exist under another name or identifier, or in a dataset not yet imported here.

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Chemical identity and properties

PubChem 2D chemical structure for CAS 123-96-6
CAS 123-96-6PubChem CID 20083

2-Octanol

Octan-2-ol is an octanol carrying the hydroxy group at position 2. It has a role as a volatile oil component and a plant metabolite. It is a secondary alcohol and an octanol. — ChEBI

IUPAC name
octan-2-ol
Molecular formula
C8H18O
Molecular weight
130.23 g/mol
Exact mass
130.135765193 Da
XLogP3
2.9
Topological polar surface area
20.2 Ų
Hydrogen-bond donors
1
Hydrogen-bond acceptors
1
Covalent units
1
Defined stereocentres
0

Also known as

2-Octyl alcoholHexylmethylcarbinol2-Hydroxyoctane1-Methylheptyl alcoholsec-Caprylic alcoholMethylhexylcarbinol1-Methyl-1-heptanoln-Octan-2-ol
16 more reported names
Hexyl methyl carbinol2-Hydroxy-n-octaneMethyl hexyl carbinolsec-OCTYL ALCOHOLbeta-Octyl alcoholsecondary Caprylic alcoholFEMA No. 2801FEMA Number 2801Caprylic alcohol, secondary66B0DD5E40NSC-14759CHEBI:37869RefChem:910163204-667-0223-938-4Capryl alcohol
Open full PubChem recordPubChem annotations3D structure image
External database identifiers

Evidence from additional scientific databases

NIH PubChem PUG-View
Exact identifier match20083

Attributed physical-property, hazard, environmental and use annotations.

  • Note: This chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria for 0.3% (6 of 1874) of reports. Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  • Signal: Danger Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  • GHS Hazard Statements: H315 (12.3%): Causes skin irritation [Warning Skin corrosion/irritation]; H318 (82.8%): Causes serious eye damage [Danger Serious eye damage/eye irritation]; H319 (16.9%): Causes serious eye irritation [Warning Serious eye damage/eye irritation] Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  • Precautionary Statement Codes: P264, P264+P265, P280, P302+P352, P305+P351+P338, P305+P354+P338, P317, P321, P332+P317, P337+P317, and P362+P364 (click each P-code to see the statement) Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  • ECHA C&L Notifications Summary: Aggregated GHS information provided per 1874 reports by companies from 14 notifications to the ECHA C&L Inventory. Each notification may be associated with multiple companies.; Reported as not meeting GHS hazard criteria per 6 of 1874 reports by companies.; There are 13 notifications provided by 1868 of 1874 reports by companies with hazard statement code(s).; Information may vary between notifications depending on impurities, additives, and other factors. The percentage value in parenthesis indicates the notified classification ratio from companies that provide hazard codes. Only hazard codes with percentage values above 10% are shown. For more detailed information, please visit ECHA C&L website. Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  • Note: This chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria for 75% (3 of 4) of all reports. Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  • Signal: Warning Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  • GHS Hazard Statements: H226 (25%): Flammable liquid and vapor [Warning Flammable liquids]; H411 (25%): Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects [Hazardous to the aquatic environment, long-term hazard] Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  • Precautionary Statement Codes: P210, P233, P240, P241, P242, P243, P273, P280, P303+P361+P353, P370+P378, P391, P403+P235, and P501 (click each P-code to see the statement) Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  • ECHA C&L Notifications Summary: Aggregated GHS information provided per 4 reports by companies from 2 notifications to the ECHA C&L Inventory. Each notification may be associated with multiple companies.; Reported as not meeting GHS hazard criteria per 3 of 4 reports by companies.; There is 1 notification provided by 1 of 4 reports by companies with hazard statement code(s).; Information may vary between notifications depending on impurities, additives, and other factors. The percentage value in parenthesis indicates the notified classification ratio from companies that provide hazard codes. Only hazard codes with percentage values above 10% are shown. For more detailed information, please visit ECHA C&L website. Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  • Signal: Warning Source: NITE-CMC
  • GHS Hazard Statements: H227: Combustible liquid [Warning Flammable liquids]; H319: Causes serious eye irritation [Warning Serious eye damage/eye irritation] Source: NITE-CMC
  • NFPA Health Rating: 1 - Materials that, under emergency conditions, can cause significant irritation. Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
  • NFPA Fire Rating: 2 - Materials that must be moderately heated or exposed to relatively high ambient temperatures before ignition can occur. Materials would not under normal conditions form hazardous atmospheres with air, but under high ambient temperatures or under moderate heating could release vapor in sufficient quantities to produce hazardous atmospheres with air. Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
  • NFPA Instability Rating: 0 - Materials that in themselves are normally stable, even under fire conditions. Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
  • Toxicity Summary: IDENTIFICATION AND USE: 2-Octanol is a colorless liquid used in the manufacture of perfumes, disinfectant soaps and to prevent foaming. It is also used as a solvent for fats and waxes. HUMAN EXPOSURE AND TOXICITY: No human toxicity studies have been found to date. ANIMAL STUDIES: 2-Octanol is slightly irritating to guinea pig skin. Rats were exposed by inhalation to 34 to 56 ppm 2-octanol, 2hr/day, 6 days/week for 4.5 months. Mild reversible central nervous system effects (not described) were reported, as well as hematologic changes (decreased hemoglobin and erythrocyte numbers) and minor changes in heart, liver and kidney. 2-Octanol (2 mL/day) applied for 6 days to the shaven skin of rabbits caused erythema, inflammation, and cracking of the skin, which healed in 10 to 12 days. The application of 2-octanol to the eyes of rabbits caused pronounced erythema. Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
  • Environmental Bioconcentration: An estimated BCF of 38 was calculated in fish for 2-octanol(SRC), using a log Kow of 2.90(1) and a regression-derived equation(1). According to a classification scheme(2), this BCF suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is moderate(SRC). Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
  • Environmental Fate: TERRESTRIAL FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 32(SRC), determined from a structure estimation method(2), indicates that 2-octanol is expected to have very high mobility in soil(SRC). Volatilization of 2-octanol from moist soil surfaces is expected given a Henry's Law constant of 3.23X10-5 atm-cu m/mole(3). 2-Octanol is not expected to volatilize from dry soil surfaces(SRC) based upon a vapor pressure of 0.242 mm Hg at 25 °C(4). A 76% of theoretical BOD using activated sludge in the Japanese MITI test(5) suggests that biodegradation is an important environmental fate process in soil(SRC). Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
  • Environmental Fate: AQUATIC FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 32(SRC), determined from a structure estimation method(2), indicates that 2-octanol is not expected to adsorb to suspended solids and sediment(SRC). Volatilization from water surfaces is expected(3) based upon a Henry's Law constant of 3.23X10-5 atm-cu m/mole(4). Using this Henry's Law constant and an estimation method(3), volatilization half-lives for a model river and model lake are 34 hours and 14 days, respectively(SRC). 2-Octanol is not expected to undergo hydrolysis in the environment due to the lack of functional groups that hydrolyze under environmental conditions(3). According to a classification scheme(5), an estimated BCF of 38(SRC), from its log Kow of 2.90(6) and a regression-derived equation(2), suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is moderate(SRC). First order rate constants for the biodegradation of 2-octanol using an activated sludge inoculum were measured as 1120 1/hour(7) and 388 1/hour(8), indicating that biodegradation may be an important environmental fate process in water(SRC). Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
  • Environmental Fate: ATMOSPHERIC FATE: According to a model of gas/particle partitioning of semivolatile organic compounds in the atmosphere(1), 2-octanol, which has a vapor pressure of 0.242 mm Hg at 25 °C(2), is expected to exist solely as a vapor in the ambient atmosphere. Vapor-phase 2-octanol is degraded in the atmosphere by reaction with photochemically-produced hydroxyl radicals(SRC); the half-life for this reaction in air is estimated to be 32 hours(SRC), calculated from its rate constant of 1.21X10-11 cu cm/molecule-sec at 25 °C(3). 2-Octanol does not contain chromophores that absorb at wavelengths >290 nm(4) and, therefore, is not expected to be susceptible to direct photolysis by sunlight(SRC). Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

Mapped by: Existing checksum-valid CAS to unique PubChem CID match. Retrieved: 2026-08-31. Open source record

Scientific classifications and hazard annotations provide context and do not replace the market-specific regulatory decision shown above.

Additional source coverage and match status
SourceResultChecked
NIH PubChem PUG-ViewExact match2026-08-31

A recorded no-match is useful evidence that the source was checked; it is not a claim that the substance does not exist elsewhere.

Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.

Inventory details for 2-OCTANOL

INCI name

2-OCTANOL

Description

Octan-2-ol

Record provenance

Inventory reference
40524
Imported identity
2-OCTANOL
Source update
02/03/2011
European Commission CosIng source notes
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Key data

CAS
123-96-6
EC
204-667-0
Restriction
—
Function
PERFUMING
Used for perfume and aromatic raw materials.

Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions

2-NAPHTHOLHAIR DYEING, PERFUMING
2-NONYLCROTONALDEHYDEPERFUMING
2-NONYN-1-AL DIMETHYLACETALPERFUMING
2-O-CRESYLETHANOLPERFUMING
2-OCTENALPERFUMING
2-P-CRESYLETHANOLPERFUMING
2-P-CRESYLOXYETHYL ACETATEPERFUMING
2-PENTANOLPERFUMING

Additional official and scientific sources

11 external databases to check this identity in

Each link searches that source for this identity. What each source is, and its legal weight

ECHA CHEM / Information on chemicalsPubChem PUG RESTEU Safety Gate cosmetic product alertsECHA CHEMUS EPA CompToxCosmetic Ingredient Review safety assessmentsFDA Global Substance Registration SystemILO/WHO International Chemical Safety CardsJapan NITE-CHRIPNIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical HazardsOECD eChemPortal

How 2-OCTANOL appears in the CosIng inventory

The CosIng inventory lists 2-OCTANOL as a cosmetic ingredient and this page links it to 0 annex records. The inventory entry captures names and identifiers, while the annex records show where the substance is prohibited, restricted or positively listed in EU cosmetics law.

2-OCTANOL is also tagged with 1 cosmetic function in the official data. Function labels describe intended use, but they do not replace regulatory review of linked annex records before formulation or labelling work.

Frequently asked questions

2-OCTANOL is listed in the EU CosIng ingredient inventory with no direct annex restriction records linked at this time. Absence of an annex link does not guarantee unrestricted use — always verify against the current official CosIng database before formulating.

According to the EU CosIng inventory, 2-OCTANOL carries the following function designation(s):

CAS 123-96-6 may appear across multiple EU annex records. Viewing the CAS lookup page shows all Annex II–VI entries sharing this identifier, which is useful for identifying cross-annex regulatory status of the same chemical substance.
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Source note for 2-OCTANOL

This page reproduces the CosIng inventory entry for 2-OCTANOL from public European Commission cosmetic ingredient materials and shows linked identifiers even when no direct annex match is currently attached.

Use this inventory page to research 2-OCTANOL and compare linked records, but verify restrictions and legal status against the current official source text and law before making regulatory decisions.

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