Skip to content
CarCareTruth

2-Propylheptyl Polyoxyethylene Ether (Guerbet Alcohol Ethoxylate)

  • Nonionic surfactants
  • CAS 166736-08-9
  • IUPAC: Oxirane, 2-methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(2-propylheptyl) ether

2-Propylheptyl Polyoxyethylene Ether (Guerbet Alcohol Ethoxylate) (CAS 166736-08-9) appears in 1 of the 2,122 car-care products CarCareTruth tracks (as of August 2026). It is readily biodegradable.

Classified Acute Tox. 4 (H302, harmful if swallowed) and Eye Dam. 1 (H318, serious eye damage) at the ingredient level. Nonionic ethoxylate surfactants of this type are common co-surfactants that improve wetting and foam stability; the eye-damage classification is the primary handling concern at concentrate strength.

This is a branched-chain (Guerbet alcohol) nonionic surfactant, structurally similar to the PEG-9 propylheptyl ether family used widely in cleaning and personal-care formulations. It improves wetting, foam stability, and compatibility between anionic and amphoteric surfactants in a formula.

Guerbet alcohol ethoxylates are generally readily biodegradable, an advantage over older alkylphenol ethoxylate (APE) nonionic surfactants they were developed to replace.

Health & environment profile

VOC
no
Prop 65 listed
no
Asthmagen
no
EPA Safer Choice
no
Aquatic toxicity
no
Biodegradable
yes
Bioaccumulative
no
Persistent
no
Ozone depleting
no
Microplastic
no
PFAS
no
Env. score
5/5
Purpose: Nonionic co-surfactant for foam stability and wetting; branched Guerbet-alcohol ethoxylate

Common questions about 2-Propylheptyl Polyoxyethylene Ether (Guerbet Alcohol Ethoxylate)

What is 2-Propylheptyl Polyoxyethylene Ether (Guerbet Alcohol Ethoxylate) used for in car care?
Nonionic co-surfactant for foam stability and wetting; branched Guerbet-alcohol ethoxylate
Is 2-Propylheptyl Polyoxyethylene Ether (Guerbet Alcohol Ethoxylate) a VOC?
No. 2-Propylheptyl Polyoxyethylene Ether (Guerbet Alcohol Ethoxylate) is not classified as a volatile organic compound (VOC).
Is 2-Propylheptyl Polyoxyethylene Ether (Guerbet Alcohol Ethoxylate) on California's Proposition 65 list?
No. 2-Propylheptyl Polyoxyethylene Ether (Guerbet Alcohol Ethoxylate) is not on California's Proposition 65 list.
Is 2-Propylheptyl Polyoxyethylene Ether (Guerbet Alcohol Ethoxylate) biodegradable?
Yes. 2-Propylheptyl Polyoxyethylene Ether (Guerbet Alcohol Ethoxylate) has a confirmed biodegradable profile.

1 product contain this

Related

Health and environment notes translate the manufacturer Safety Data Sheet, the GHS classification, and authoritative regulatory listings (California Prop 65, EPA). Not medical advice. They describe the ingredient itself; whether a hazard applies to a finished product depends on its concentration and how it's used.