PAUSIITATE OF MYRICYL. [13Ets-Wax; Acin.] PALMITIC ACID (C„H,,O,,110). Ellialie Arid. Cetylic Add.
Dlidic Add.—An organic acid belonging to the family represented by acetic acid. It is found in the free state in palm oil ; in combination in bees wax, spermaceti, and human fat, and may be artificially obtained by the action of hot alkalies upon ethel or oleic acid.
To prepare the acid from palm oil, the latter must he saponified by caustic soda or potash, and the soap decomposed by hydrochloric acid. The mixture of oleic and palmitic acids thus set at liberty must now be dissolved In alcohol and the alcoholic solution set aside to crystal lise. The palmitic acid e7stallises out whilst the oleic acid remains in solution ; the latter acid is however only removed after several re-crystalliwtiona.
I'almitie acid is a colourless, crystalline, inodorous and tasteless solid. It is insoluble in water, upon which it floats, but very soluble in boiling alcohol and ether. It fuses at 14V Fehr., and volatilises with.
out residue at a high temperature. By long exposure to air at an elevated temperature it Is said to lose carbon and h7drogen, and to be transformed into pabaitenie arid (C„11„0,) but this is doubtful.
Palmitic acid unites with bases forming salts, which have the general formula: With the exception of the salts of the alkalies, all the palmitates are insoluble in water.
Palmitic acid also unites with glycerin, forming the following compounds : NIonopaltultIn DIpatmltha . . . . . .
TetrapaImIlla Tetrapalmitin is said to be identical with the natural compound of palmitio acid with glycerin —palmitin, the formula of which is generally written The following are some of the most important of the remaining compounds of palmitic acid.
Pain:Atte ether PilmItate of cetyl, or cetla . . . It, ,(C„it ,, )0, Palmitate of 'orrice), or myricin .