Water → Stearyl Palmitate

Participants

Reaction Steps

128 grams (0.5 mole) of purified palmitic acid (melting point 63° C.) and 203 grams (0.75 mole) of 1-octadecanol were added to 11 grams of toluenesulfonic acid in 130 ml of m-xylene and charged into a Dean-Stark equipped 1-liter round bottom flask. After 6 hours of reflux under nitrogen at a pot temperature of 190° C., 13 ml of water was collected. The solvent and any excess alcohol were stripped under 29 inches of mercury vacuum at 130° C. to give 329 grams of a solid having a melting point of 55° C. The acid number of the product was 0. Infrared spectroscopic analysis showed formation of the ester function.

Provenance & Evidence