NEMO-Chemistry
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Myristic Acid from Isopropyl myristate?
Looking on wikipedia....
It mentions
"The hydrolysis of the ester from isopropyl myristate can liberate the acid and the alcohol"
So how would I go about separating Myrsitic Acid from Isopropyl myristate? If its possible.......
Sorry if this is a really dopey question, but Isopropyl myristate is cheap and easy to get and Myristic Acid dosnt seem to be so cheap and easy for me
to get.
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UC235
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Generally with cosmetic chemicals, you need to read the fine print. For example, "stearic acid" is usually 45:55 stearic:palmitic acids with small
amounts of unsaturated fats and a bit of my myristic acid.
I'm uncertain if isopropyl myristate is all that pure, but I would expect 90-95% at best since isopropyl laurate and palmitate will behave
identically.
As for practical isolation, saponify it with alcoholic KOH, acidify, and recrystallize the waxy solid from alcohol, possibly with a small amount of
water added.
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NEMO-Chemistry
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Quote: Originally posted by UC235  | Generally with cosmetic chemicals, you need to read the fine print. For example, "stearic acid" is usually 45:55 stearic:palmitic acids with small
amounts of unsaturated fats and a bit of my myristic acid.
I'm uncertain if isopropyl myristate is all that pure, but I would expect 90-95% at best since isopropyl laurate and palmitate will behave
identically.
As for practical isolation, saponify it with alcoholic KOH, acidify, and recrystallize the waxy solid from alcohol, possibly with a small amount of
water added. |
Thanks thats really helpful, sounds alot like making bio diesel lol. Could explain why Myristic acid ids so expensive.
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UC235
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Myristic acid is a byproduct from fractionating other fats (palm, coconut, and palm kernel primarily) for other cosmetic/industrial use. There's no
particularly good source of it (that is cheap, that is. The fat in nutmegs is about 90% glyceryl trimyristate and can be recrystallized to high purity
with relative ease. I've done it using hexanes in place of ether. http://www.orgsyn.org/Content/pdfs/procedures/CV1P0538.pdf)
In huge bulk, $4/lb is not terrible. >98% myristic acid. http://store.acme-hardesty.com/product/10/myristic-acid
<i>Edit by moderator : Fixed link</i>
[Edited on 8-15-2017 by gdflp]
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