General information about Cetyl alcohol (1-Hexadecanol)
Cetyl alcolhol is also known as 1-Hexadecanol. The name is derived from the Latin term ‘cetacea’ for whale and has its origins in whaling, where the so-called spermaceti was obtained. This is an oil-wax mixture from the sperm whale, from which 1-Hexadecanol can be extracted.
In nature, cetyl alcohol is found in plant and animal fats as well as in waxes; it is a component of coconut and palm oil, for example, as well as of plants such as ironwood, spice vanilla, gorse and tobacco. Bees produce beeswax from cetyl alcohol.
1-Hexadecanol is used in various industries as an emulsifier and thickener.
Properties of 1-Hexadecanol
1-Hexadecanol is a long-chain, monohydric alcohol that belongs to the group of fatty alcohols. In its solid state, the substance is consists of white, waxy platelets and has a faint odour. 1-Hexadecanol cannot be dissolved in water, but is readily soluble in ethanol, ether, chloroform, acetone and petrol.
1-Hexadecanol is often produced industrially from vegetable fats and oils by high-pressure hydrogenation. This usually involves the use of palmitic acid or palm oil, which is first extracted. Palmitic acid is a saturated fatty acid that occurs in many natural fats and oils (including palm oil). The palmitic acid or palm oil is then subjected to a hydrogenation reaction under pressure and in the presence of a catalyst, in which hydrogen is added.
This reduces the double bond in the fatty acid to a single bond, producing 1-Hexadecanol. Distillation or other separation processes are used to purify the cetyl alcohol produced and separate it from unwanted substances.
