Studies of waxes. III. The alcohols of carnauba wax

Abstract

Summary A study has been made of the composition of the non‐saponifiable portion of carnauba wax by acetylation followed by fractionation in a spinning band column, using both simple fractional and amplified distillation. The straight chain alcohols of even carbon number, C 24 to C 34 , were estimated to be present in the following percentages, below C 24 : 1%, C 24 (+C 26 ?) : 4%, C 28 : 5%, C 30 : 14%, C 32 : 51%, C 34 : 22%. In addition, three high melting alcohols, totalling 2% of the wax alcohols, have been isolated and appear to be closely related glycols. The hydrocarbon fraction (M.P. 63.0–63.5°C.) forms less than 1% of the non‐saponifiable fraction and is considered to be a mixture.