| Cetyl alcohol[1] | |
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Hexadecan-1-ol |
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Other names
Cetanol, Cetyl alcohol, Ethal, Ethol, Hexadecanol, Hexadecyl alcohol, Palmityl alcohol |
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| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | 36653-82-4 |
| PubChem | 2682 |
| ChemSpider | 2581 |
| UNII | 936JST6JCN |
| KEGG | D00099 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:16125 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL706 |
| Jmol-3D images | Image 1 |
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| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | C16H34O |
| Molar mass | 242.44 g mol−1 |
| Appearance | White crystals |
| Density | 0.811 g/cm³ |
| Melting point |
49 °C, 322 K, 120 °F |
| Boiling point |
344 °C, 617 K, 651 °F |
| Solubility in water | Insoluble |
| (verify) (what is: /?) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) |
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| Infobox references | |
Cetyl alcohol, also known as 1-hexadecanol and palmityl alcohol, is a fatty alcohol with the chemical formula CH3(CH2)15OH. At room temperature, cetyl alcohol takes the form of a waxy white solid or flakes.
The name cetyl derives from the whale oil (Latin: cetus) from which it was first isolated.[2]
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Cetyl alcohol was discovered in 1817 by the French chemist Michel Chevreul when he heated spermaceti, a waxy substance obtained from sperm whale oil, with caustic potash (potassium hydroxide). Flakes of cetyl alcohol were left behind on cooling.[3]
With the demise of commercial whaling, cetyl alcohol is no longer primarily produced from whale oil but instead either as an end-product of the petroleum industry, or produced from vegetable oils such as palm oil and coconut oil.
Cetyl alcohol is used in the cosmetic industry as a opacifier in shampoos, or as an emollient, emulsifier or thickening agent in the manufacture of skin creams and lotions.[4] It is also employed as a lubricant for nuts and bolts.
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