The extended polyoxyethylene chain of Octoxynol 40 provides high water solubility and mild surfactant activity, making it suitable for use as a solubilizing and emulsifying excipient in sensitive formulations such as ophthalmic preparations, where lower-ethoxylation surfactants may be too irritating or insufficiently hydrophilic.
Octoxynol 40 is a non-ionic surfactant belonging to the octylphenol ethoxylate family, consisting of a hydrophobic 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutylphenol (octylphenol) group linked to a long hydrophilic polyoxyethylene chain averaging 40 ethoxy units. Its high degree of ethoxylation gives it strong hydrophilic character, distinguishing it from lower-ethoxylation analogs like Octoxynol-9.
| Chemical Name | Octoxynol 40 (Octylphenol Ethoxylate, n40) |
| CAS Number | 9002-93-1 |
| IUPAC Name | Polyoxyethylene (40) octylphenol ether |
| Molecular Formula | C14H22O(C2H4O)nH, average n40 |
| Molecular Weight | ~2,225--2,500 g/mol (average) g/mol |
Used as a solubilizing/wetting excipient in eye drop and contact lens care formulations due to its mild, highly hydrophilic profile.
Functions as an emulsifier and solubilizer for lipophilic actives in topical and liquid dosage forms.
Related octoxynol variants are used in vaccine formulation and diagnostic reagent buffers.
Applied as a wetting and dispersing agent in specialty chemical formulations.
Adv. Colloid Interface Sci.
Cosmet. Toilet. --- (industry reference)
Pharm. Res.
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