Names | |
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Preferred IUPAC name
Octadecanoic acid | |
Other names
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Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol)
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ChEMBL | |
ChemSpider | |
DrugBank | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.285 |
EC Number |
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KEGG | |
PubChem CID
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RTECS number |
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UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
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Properties | |
C18H36O2 | |
Molar mass | 284.484 g·mol−1 |
Appearance | White solid |
Odor | Pungent, oily |
Density | 0.9408 g/cm3 (20 °C)[2] 0.847 g/cm3 (70 °C) |
Melting point | 69.3 °C (156.7 °F; 342.4 K)[2] |
Boiling point | 361 °C (682 °F; 634 K) decomposes 232 °C (450 °F; 505 K) at 15 mmHg[2] |
0.00018 g/100 g (0 °C) 0.00029 g/100 g (20 °C) 0.00034 g/100 g (30 °C) 0.00042 g/100 g (45 °C) 0.00050 g/100 g (60 °C)[3] | |
Solubility | Soluble in [4] |
Solubility in dichloromethane | 3.58 g/100 g (25 °C) 8.85 g/100 g (30 °C) 18.3 g/100 g (35 °C)[4] |
Solubility in hexane | 0.5 g/100 g (20 °C) 4.3 g/100 g (30 °C) 19 g/100 g (40 °C) 79.2 g/100 g (50 °C) 303 g/100 g (60 °C)[4] |
Solubility in ethanol | 1.09 g/100 mL (10 °C) 2.25 g/100 g (20 °C) 5.42 g/100 g (30 °C) 22.7 g/100 g (40 °C) 105 g/100 g (50 °C) 400 g/100 g (60 °C)[3] |
Solubility in acetone | 4.73 g/100 g[5] |
Solubility in chloroform | 15.54 g/100 g[5] |
Solubility in toluene | 13.61 g/100 g[5] |
Vapor pressure | 0.01 kPa (158 °C)[2] 0.46 kPa (200 °C) 16.9 kPa (300 °C)[6] |
−220.8·10−6 cm3/mol | |
Thermal conductivity | 0.173 W/m·K (70 °C) 0.166 W/m·K (100 °C)[7] |
Refractive index (nD)
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1.4299 (80 °C)[2] |
Structure | |
B-form = Monoclinic[8] | |
B-form = P21/a[8] | |
B-form = Cs 2h[8] | |
a = 5.591 Å, b = 7.404 Å, c = 49.38 Å (B-form)[8] α = 90°, β = 117.37°, γ = 90°
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Thermochemistry | |
Heat capacity (C)
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501.5 J/mol·K[2][6] |
Std molar
entropy (S⦵298) |
435.6 J/mol·K[2] |
Std enthalpy of
formation (ΔfH⦵298) |
−947.7 kJ/mol[2] |
Std enthalpy of
combustion (ΔcH⦵298) |
−11342.4 kJ/mol[9] |
Hazards | |
NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
Flash point | 205 °C (401 °F; 478 K) |
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): | |
LD50 (median dose)
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4640 mg/kg (rats, oral)[10] 21.5 mg/kg (rats, intravenous)[4] |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Stearic acid (/ˈstɪərɪk/ STEER-ik, /stiˈærɪk/ stee-ARR-ik) is a saturated fatty acid with an 18-carbon chain.[9] The IUPAC name is octadecanoic acid.[9] It is a soft waxy solid with the formula CH3(CH2)16CO2H.[9] The triglyceride derived from three molecules of stearic acid is called stearin.[9] Stearic acid is a prevalent fatty-acid in nature, found in many animal and vegetable fats, but is usually higher in animal fat than vegetable fat. It has a melting point of 69.4 °C (156.9 °F) °C and a pKa of 4.50.[11]
Its name comes from the Greek word στέαρ "stéar", which means tallow. The salts and esters of stearic acid are called stearates.[9] As its ester, stearic acid is one of the most common saturated fatty acids found in nature and in the food supply, following palmitic acid.[12][13] Dietary sources of stearic acid include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, and foods prepared with fats; beef tallow, lard, butterfat, cocoa butter, and shea butter are rich fat sources of stearic acid.[9][12]