Dodecanol
Chemical compound
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Through Organic compound, Surfactant and Tonne
Production and use
In 1993, the European demand of dodecanol was around 60,000 tonnes per year. It can be obtained from palm kernel oil or coconut oil fatty acids and methyl esters by hydrogenation. It may also be produced synthetically via the Ziegler process. A classic laboratory method involves Bouveault-Blanc reduction of ethyl laurate.
Dodecanol is used to make surfactants, which are used in lubricating oils, and pharmaceuticals. Millions of tons of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) are produced annually by sulfation of dodecyl alcohol:
- SO3 + CH3(CH2)10CH2OH → CH3(CH2)10CH2OSO3H
- CH3(CH2)10CH2OSO3H + NaOH→CH3(CH2)10CH2OSO3Na + H2O
Dodecanol is used as an emollient. It is also the precursor to dodecanal, an important fragrance, and 1-bromododecane, an alkylating agent for improving the lipophilicity of organic molecules.
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Toxicity
Dodecanol can irritate the skin. It has about half the toxicity of ethanol, but it is very harmful to marine organisms.
Mutual solubility with water
The mutual solubility of 1-dodecanol and water has been quantified as follows.