Polyethylene glycol cetyl ether

{{chembox

| ImageFile=Polyethylene glycol cetyl ether.svg

| ImageSize=250px

| ImageCaption=

| IUPACName= α-Hexadecyl-ω-hydroxypoly(oxyethylene)

| OtherNames=Polyoxyethylene cetyl ether
Brij 58
Brij 56
Brij 52

|Section1={{Chembox Identifiers

| ChemSpiderID = 2006409

| EC_number = 500-014-1

| CASNo=9004-95-9

| CASNo_Ref = {{cascite|correct|CAS}}

| UNII_Ref = {{fdacite|correct|FDA}}

| UNII = 0EV3Z43Y2I

| PubChem=2724259

| StdInChI=1S/C56H114O21/c1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-17-58-19-21-60-23-25-62-27-29-64-31-33-66-35-37-68-39-41-70-43-45-72-47-49-74-51-53-76-55-56-77-54-52-75-50-48-73-46-44-71-42-40-69-38-36-67-34-32-65-30-28-63-26-24-61-22-20-59-18-16-57/h57H,2-56H2,1H3

| StdInChIKey = NLMKTBGFQGKQEV-UHFFFAOYSA-N

| SMILES = CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCO

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|Section2={{Chembox Properties

| Formula = HO(C₂H₄O)_nC₁₆H₃₃

| Appearance=

| Density=

| MeltingPt=

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| Solubility=

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|Section3={{Chembox Hazards

| ExternalSDS =

| MainHazards=

| FlashPt=

| AutoignitionPt =

| GHSPictograms = {{GHS07}}

| GHSSignalWord = Warning

| HPhrases = {{H-phrases|302|315}}

| PPhrases = {{P-phrases|264|270|280|301+312|302+352|321|330|332+313|362|501}}

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Polyethylene glycol cetyl ether (polyethylene glycol hexadecyl ether) is a nonionic surfactant produced by the ethoxylation of cetyl alcohol to give a material with the general formula HO(C₂H₄O)_nC₁₆H₃₃. Several grades of this material are available depending on the level of ethoxylation performed, with repeat units (n) of polyethylene glycol varying between 2 and 20. Commercially it can be known as Cetomacrogol 1000, Brij 58 (when n=20), Brij 56 (when n=10), and other trade names.

It is used as a solubilizer and emulsifying agent in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, often as an ointment base.{{cite web | url = https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-drug/def/polyethylene-glycol-1000-cetyl-ether-cream | title = Polyethylene glycol 1000 cetyl ether cream | work = NCI Drug Dictionary | publisher = National Cancer Institute }} It is used as an oil in water (O/W) emulsifier for creams/lotions, and a wetting agent.