It is employed as a perfuming agent in cosmetics industry. It is also used in organic synthesis, calibration, and temperature sensing equipment. Docosane is used to investigate commercially available waxes in the form of thin disc samples as possible diffraction intensity standards for macromolecular crystallography synchrotron beamlines.
Definition
ChEBI: Docosane is a straight-chain alkane with 22 carbon atoms. It has a role as a plant metabolite.
General Description
Solid. Insoluble in water. Used in organic synthesis, calibration, and temperature sensing equipment.
Air & Water Reactions
Insoluble in water.
Reactivity Profile
Saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as N-DOCOSANE, may be incompatible with strong oxidizing agents like nitric acid. Charring of the hydrocarbon may occur followed by ignition of unreacted hydrocarbon and other nearby combustibles. In other settings, aliphatic saturated hydrocarbons are mostly unreactive. They are not affected by aqueous solutions of acids, alkalis, most oxidizing agents, and most reducing agents. When heated sufficiently or when ignited in the presence of air, oxygen or strong oxidizing agents, they burn exothermically to produce carbon dioxide and water.
Purification Methods
Crystallise docosane from EtOH or ether. [Beilstein 1 IV 572.]
