A 4-hydroxybenzoate ester in which the esterifying alcohol is an alkanol (in diagram, R = alkyl). Commonly used as preservatives in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products.
| Member | Definition | Role |
|---|
| ethyl-p-hydroxybenzoate | An ethyl ester resulting from the formal condensation of the carboxy group of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid with ethanol, | ethylparaben |
| methylparaben | A 4-hydroxybenzoate ester resulting from the formal condensation of the carboxy group of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid with methanol. It is the most frequently used antimicrobial preservative in cosmetics. It occurs naturally in several fruits, particularly in blueberries. | methylparaben |
| propylparaben | The benzoate ester that is the propyl ester of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. Preservative typically found in many water-based cosmetics, such as creams, lotions, shampoos and bath products. Also used as a food additive. | propylparaben |