364 IV. WAXES, HIGHER ALCOHOLS, ETC. 



may undergo interesterification in the same way as is the case with the 

 triglycerides (see Chapter III). A number of patents have been issued for 

 the preparation of modified products by the reaction of montan wax with 

 glycerol, ^-®~^-* as well as with ethylene glycol and with monohydric alco- 

 hols. ^'^ Similar interesterification reactions have been applied to the 

 liquid marine oils, using polyhydric alcohols. 



Since most waxes consist of esters of saturated acids and saturated alco- 

 hols, they cannot be hydrogenated. However, the liquid waxes, which 

 are mostly of animal origin, can absorb hydrogen to become solid. This is 

 particularly true of the marine oils in which the alcohols contain un- 

 saturated linkages. 



(3) Description of Natural Waxes 



A number of products are referred to as waxes largely because of the 

 similarity in their physical properties to those of the true waxes. The 

 principal group consists of the natural (or true) waxes, which are obtained 

 both from animal and from vegetable sources. A second group includes 

 fossil waxes, earth waxes, and lignite paraffins. The paraffin or petroleum 

 waxes comprise the third category. These differ from the first group in 

 being almost exclusively hydrocarbons rather than esters of monohydric 

 alcohols. The synthetic waxes, which are considered separately, may have 

 a composition which varies widely from the usual biochemical conception of 

 the composition of waxes. 



a. Natural Waxes of Insect Origin. There are two general types of 

 wax-producing insects, namely the Apidae, which include the bees, and 

 the Coccidac, from members of which the Chinese wax (Coccus ceriferus), 

 and stick-lac (Tachardia lacca) are obtained. 



(o) Waxes from the Apidae. There are three genera in this order which 

 produce waxes. These include: (1) Apis; {2) Melipona (large, stingless 

 bee), Trigona (dwarf stingless bee), and Tetrasoma; and {3) Bombus 

 (humble bee). 



a'. Beeswax: The beeswax of commerce is obtained from a number of 

 species of the genus, Apis. The most important members of this group are 

 the domesticated honey bee (A. mellifica), the giant bee {A. dorsata), and 

 also A. indica (Asia) and the little bee (.4. florea, East India). ^ 



There are many races of the common honey bee throughout the world, 



326 E. Schliemanns Export-Cerosin-Fal)rik, G.m.l).II., German Patent No. 244,786 

 (Apr. 17, 1912). 



3" W. Pungs and M. Jahrstorfer (to I. G. Farbenindustrie), [/. S. Patent No. 1,737,975 

 (Dec. 3, 1929); German Patent No. 563,394 (Nov. 8, 19:32). 



328 F. W. Guthke and W. Pungs (to I. G. Farbenindustrie), U. S. Patent No. 1,8:34,056 

 (Dec. 1, 1931); German Patent No. 558,437 (Sept. 7, 1932). J. Y. John.son, Brit. Patent 

 No. 296,145 (Oct. 17, 1928). 



329 J. Y. Johnson (to I. G. Farbenindustrie), Brit. Patent No. 376,276 (June 27, 1932). 



