380 IV. WAXES, HIGHER ALCOHOLS, ETC. 



(h) Waxes from Fruits and Berries, a'. Japan Wax: The fat contained, 

 in the form of a greenish coating, between the kernel and the outer skin 

 of the berries of the small sumac-like wax tree, Toxicodendron succedaneum 

 {Rhus succedanea L.) yields a wax which is known as Japan wax. The 

 berries are about the size of navy beans, and are produced in amounts 

 as high as 150 pounds per year in an adult tree. T. succedaneum is culti- 

 vated in both Japan and China as a source of the wax. The crude wax 

 melts at about 51 °C., although a recently fused wax may melt at a lower 

 temperature. It solidifies at 41 °C. On standing, the melting point gradu- 

 ally increases. Warth^ states that it has a specific gravity at 15 °C. of 

 0.990, a saponification value of 206.6-237.5, and an iodine number of 4.5 to 

 12.8. The approximate composition of Japan wax is given in Table 17. 



Table 17 

 Composition of Japan Wax" 



Component Formula Per cent 



Triglycerides of monobasic acids .... 87 



Arachidic CH3(CH2)i8COOH 1 



Palmitic CHsCCHOmCOOH 71 



Stearic CH3(CH,)i6COOH 4 



Oleic and Linoleic CH3(CH2)7CH:CH(CH2)7C00H] 



CH.(CH2)4CH:CHCH2CH:- \ 11 



CH(CH2)7COOH J 



Dibasic acids (Japanic acids) 5.2-7. 1 



(Combined as mixed triglycerides 

 with oleic acid ) 



Nonadecanedioic HOOC-(CH2),7-COOH — 



Eicosanedioic HOOC-(CH2),8-COOH — 



Japanic HOOC-(CH2),9-COOH — 



Docosanedioic HOOC-(CH2)2o-COOH — 



Tricosanedioic HOOC • (CH2)2, • COOH 4-6 



Free monobasic acids . 3-5 



Pelargonic CH3(CH2)7COOH — 



Palmitic CH3(CH2)uCOOH — 



Oleic CH3(CH2)7CH:CH(CH2)7COOH — 



Free monohydric alcohols 1-2 



Pelargonyl CH3(CH2)7CH20H — 



Ceryl CH3(CH2)24CH20H — 



Myricyl CH3(CH2)28CH20H — 



Sterols <1 



Phy tosterol — • 



« Data adapted from A. H. Warth, The Chemistry and Technology of Waxes, Reinhold, 

 New York, 1947, p. 155. 



Japan wax finds wide application in Japan in the manufacture of candles. 

 It is also used in the vulcanization of rubber, as well as for the preparation 



