Caprylic acid

• Octanoic
• Heptanecarboxylic acid

Colorless oil with slightly rancid odor and burning taste.

Liquid

0.91 g · cm -3

16 ° C

237 ° C

0.25 Pa ( 298 K)

4.89 (25 ° C)

Little in water ( 0.68 g · l-1 at 20 ° C)

1.4285 (20 ° C)

Risk

Template: Infobox chemical / molecular formula search available

Caprylic acid is the trivial name for the carboxylic acid, octanoic acid, C7H15 -COOH, a saturated fatty acid. The name is derived as in the caproic and capric acid from Latin capra or caper for goat or goat.

Occurrence and production

Caprylic acid is included as a triglyceride ( triesters of glycerol ) in the oil or fat of coconut ( coconut oil) to about 8 %, in the butter to about 1.2%.

Also as triglyceride caprylic acid is found in goat's milk butter, palm oil, wine fusel oil, meat products, seafood and cheese.

The carboxylic acid is synthesized from octanol or octanal by oxidation.

Properties

Caprylic acid is a colorless in pure form with weak oil rancid odor and burning taste. The carboxylic acid melts at 16 ° C and boils at 237 ° C. It is poorly soluble in water, but is miscible with many organic solvents. Its salts and esters hot Caprate or Octanoate. Caprylic acid irritates eyes and skin.

Use

Use is caprylic acid in the production of soaps, dyes, natural insecticides, fungicides and anti- septic drugs.

Caprylic acid is also used in insect sprays and advertised as " natural product " because it is not a classic insecticide. Caprylic acid dissolves the exoskeleton of insects, what they die.

Caprylic acid is also medically to treat fungal infections ( candidiasis ) and some bacterial infections.

As a neutral fat can be described here, in contrast to pure fatty acids, eaten or used cosmetically.