PROPERTIES OF WAXES 45 



As already stated, the waxes resemble the fats in their 

 chemical constitution in so far as they are esters, but they 

 differ in the nature of their alcohol constituent which is not 

 glycerol but is usually a monohydric alcohol such as cetyl 

 alcohol CigHogOH, carnaubyl alcohol C24H49OH, pisangceryl 

 alcohol C24H49OH, ceryl alcohol CaeHjgOH, myricyl alcohol 

 CgoHfiiOH, cholesterol or phytosterol C27H45OH. 



In addition to the acids already mentioned as occurring in 

 fats, the following are also met with in waxes in the form of 

 esters : ficocerylic acid CigHgeOo, carnaubic acid C24H48O2, and , 

 pisangcerylic acid C24H48O2, as well as acids belonging to 

 series of the general formula Ci)H2„ _ 2O2 and CyHanOs. 



The term wax used in the chemical sense has reference 

 only to the chemical composition of these substances, regardless 

 of their physical state of aggregation, and consequently both 

 liquid and solid waxes are known. 



Waxes of the former class are, however, only known in 

 the animal kingdom, they are ordinary sperm oil and arctic 

 sperm oil. 



Among the better-known vegetable waxes may be men- 

 tioned : — 



[a] Carnauha Wax obtained from Copernicia cerifera ; this 

 wax contains ceryl and myricyl alcohols, and two acids, 

 cerotic acid CosHgaOg, and carnaubic acid C24H48O2, together 

 with a hydroxy-acid of the formula C21H42O3. This is a very 

 hard wax and is used in the making of gramophone records. 



{b) Pisang Wax obtained from the leaves of Cera musae is 

 the pisangceryl ester of pisangcerylic acid. 



The following are some of the more important waxes of 

 animal origin :- — 



Wool wax, better known as wool fat or lanolin (which is 

 rich in cholesterol), beeswax, spermaceti, and Chinese insect 

 wax. 



PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF WAXES. 



Waxes are soluble in all the ordinary fat solvents such as 

 benzene, ether, chloroform, etc., though they are rather less 

 soluble than the fats. 



