The polyoxyethylene ethers of decyl alcohol are referred to as deceth(e) (for comparison see e.g. laurethe, stearethe). Polyalkylene glycol ethers are non-ionic compounds whose lipophilic part consists of fatty alcohols, e.g. cetostearyl alcohol. The hydrophilic part is formed by short-chain polyethylene glycols (polyoxyethylene). In the designation of fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, the inserted numbering means the average number of ethylene oxide units per mole. Deceth-7, for example, is the INCI designation for a polyoxyethylene ether with 7 ethylene oxide units per mol.
Representatives of Decethe are: Deceth 3-7, Deceth-7 carboxylic acid, Deceth-4-phosphates, Deceth-6-phosphates (surfactants and emulsifiers).