General Description
White crystalline solid. Insoluble in water. Specific gravity 0.85. Hence floats on water.
Reactivity Profile
A weak carboxylic acid. Neutralizes bases with the evolution of substantial amounts of heat to produce water plus a salt. Reacts with solutions of cyanides to cause the release of gaseous hydrogen cyanide. Can generate flammable and/or toxic gases and heat by reaction with diazo compounds, dithiocarbamates, isocyanates, mercaptans, nitrides, and sulfides. Reacts in with aqueous solutions of nitrites and thiosulfates (to give H2S and SO3) and dithionites (to give SO2) and heat. Reaction with solutions of carbonates and bicarbonates generate a harmless gas (carbon dioxide) but still heat. Can be oxidized by strong oxidizing agents and reduced by strong reducing agents. These reactions generate heat. May initiate polymerization reactions. May serve as a catalyst.
Air & Water Reactions
Dust explosion is possible. [USCG, 1999]. Insoluble in water.
Health Hazard
May be harmful by inhalation, ingestion or skin absorption. Material is irritating to mucous membrane and upper respiratory tract. Causes eye and skin irritation.
Fire Hazard
Special Hazards of Combustion Products: Dust explosion is possible.
Chemical Properties
Undecanoic acid has a faint fatty, aldehydic odor.
Chemical Properties
white to pale yellowish low melting solid
Occurrence
Occurs naturally in butter and in the oil of Artemisisa frigida Willd.; also reported found in the oils of
Chamaecyparis pisifera Engl., wild thyme, Thymus marschollianus and coconut. Also reported found in apple, banana, sour cherry,
lemon and mandarin peel oil, grapefruit juice, guava, grapes, papaya, many cheeses, milk powder, chicken and beef fat, cooked mutton,
cured pork, beer, cognac, rum, whiskies, white wine, tea, coconut milk, beans, licorice, mango, mushrooms, rice, sake, wort,
loquat, scallop and maté.
Uses
Undecanoic acid was used in the formation of cycloamylose crystals.
Uses
Intermediates of Liquid Crystals
Uses
Undecanoic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It may be used to activate orphan G protein-coupled receptor GPR40.
Definition
ChEBI: A straight-chain, eleven-carbon saturated medium-chain fatty acid found in body fluids; the most fungitoxic of the C7:0 - C18:0 fatty acid series.
Preparation
By reduction of undecylenic acid obtained from castor oil.
Aroma threshold values
Detection: 10 ppb
Taste threshold values
Taste characteristics at 20 ppm: waxy, creamy, cheese-like with a fatty dairy mouthfeel.
