STEAROLIC ACID BEHENOLIC ACID. 135 



Fine needles, of a silvery lustre, insoluble in water, 

 easily soluble in alcohol and ether. Fusing point, 42. 

 Combines directly with 1 and with 2 molecules of 

 bromine, but not with hydrogen. 



Palmitoxylic acid, C 16 H 28 O, is formed, together 

 with suberic acid and suberic aldehyde, by the action 

 of fuming nitric acid on palmitolic acid. Crystalline 

 laminae, insoluble in water, easily soluble in alcohol 

 and ether. Fusing point, 67; monobasic acid. 



3. Stearolic Acid. 



C 17 H 31 .CO.OH. 



Is produced, like the preceding acid, from the di- 

 bromide of oleic acid or elaidic acid. Long, colorless 

 prisms. Fusing point, 48 ; can be distilled, almost 

 entirely without decomposition ; insoluble in water, but 

 slightly in cold alcohol, easily soluble in ether and hot 

 alcohol. Yields salts that crystallize well. Is not 

 changed by the action of nascent hydrogen ; combines, 

 however, with bromine, forming a liquid dibromide 

 C 18 H 32 Br 2 2 , and a crystalline tetmbromide C 18 H 32 Br 4 2 , 

 fusing at about 70. 



Stearoxylic acid, C I8 H 32 4 , produced like palmi- 

 toxylic acid. Lustrous laminae; fusing point, 86. 

 Very similar to palmitoxylic acid. 



4. Behenolic Acid. 

 C- 2 H 40 2 = C 21 H 39 .CO.OH. 



Is produced from the dibromide of erucic acid by 

 heating it with alcoholic potassa to 140-150, and 

 from the dibromide of brassinic acid by heating with 

 alcoholic potassa to 210-220' White, lustrous, fasci- 

 cular needles. Fusing point, 57.5. Conducts itself 

 towards hydrogen and bromine, the same as stearolic 

 acid. 



Behenoxylic acid, C 22 H 40 4 . Lustrous scales; 

 fusing point, 90-91. 



