Docosanoic Acid → Silver behenate

Participants

Reaction Steps

3.4 g of behenic acid was dissolved in 100 ml of benzene at 60° C., and the solution maintained at 60° C. while 100 ml of water was added to the above solution to form an emulsion with stirring. Ammonia water was added to 80 ml of an aqueous solution containing 1.7 g of silver nitrate to prepare a silver-ammonium complex, and then water was further added to make the total volume 100 ml. The resulting silver-ammonium complex-containing solution (which was chill-set at 10° C.) was added to the above emulsion, resulting in the formation of crystals of silver behenate. The reaction product was warmed to room temperature (25° C.), and allowed to stand for 20 minutes, it then separated into an aqueous phase and a benzene phase. After removal of the aqueous phase, the benzene phase was washed with 400 ml of water by decantation. 400 ml of methanol was then added to the benzene phase, and silver behenate collected by centrifuging. 4 g of spindle-like silver behenate about 1μ in longer diameter and about 0.05μ in shorter diameter was obtained.

Provenance & Evidence