Description
Methyl laurate has a fatty, floral odor reminiscent of wine. It can be used as a flavor ingredient in foods and pharmaceuticals, and as fragrance in perfumes. As an intermediate, methyl laurate is used for detergents, emulsifier, wetting agents, stabilizers, lubricants, plasticizers, textiles, plastics, and cosmetics. It can also be used as lubricant in textile spin finishes and emollient in cosmetics. It can be used as solvent, co-solvent, oil carrier for agric, pesticides and herbicides. It is also used as defoamer in food-contact coatings and paper/paperboards and it is used in resin-bonded filters for food contact.
References
[1] Michael Ash, Handbook of Green Chemicals, 2004
[2] George A. Burdock, Encyclopedia of Food and Color Additives, Volume 1, 1996
Description
Methyl laurate has a fatty, floral odor reminiscent of wine. May
be prepared by prolonged boiling of lauric acid with methanol in
the presence of sulfuric acid. Methyl Laurate is a flavour ketone produced in a reaction biocatalyzed by microencapsulated fungal spores. Also used in production of biodiesel.
Chemical Properties
clear colorless to slightly yellow liquid
Chemical Properties
Methyl laurate has a fatty, floral odor reminiscent of wine.
Occurrence
Reported found in orris absolute, strawberry, apple, bilberry, rum, coconut, grapes, melon, papaya, pineapple, blackberry, mustard, cheeses, hop oil, cognac, white wine, cocoa, oats, plumcot, elderberry juice, loquat, babaco fruit
(Carica pentagona Heilborn), Bourbon vanilla, mountain papaya, Chinese cabbage, mussels, cape gooseberry, pawpaw, banana,
berries and blue cheese
Uses
Methyl laurate has been used in selective synthesis of the secondary amide surfactant,
N-methyl lauroylethanolamide.
Uses
Methyl dodecanoate used in production of biodiesel. It has been used in selective synthesis of the secondary amide surfactant, N-methyl lauroylethanolamide. It is also utilized as emollients, perfuming agents skin conditioning.
Definition
ChEBI: A fatty acid methyl ester of lauric acid.
Taste threshold values
Taste characteristics at 20 ppm: waxy, creamy, fatty with soapy, coconut nuances
General Description
Hydrogenation of methyl laurate catalyzed by diatomite supported Pd-M (M=Cu, Co, Ni) bimetal nanocatalysts has been reported. IR absorption spectrum of methyl laurate in carbon tetrachloride and carbon disulphide solutions has been compared with the spectra of derivatives deuterated in the ω-methyl group and α-methylene groups.
Flammability and Explosibility
Non flammable
Synthesis
Methyl laurate can be obtained by esterifying lauric acid with methanol. A mixture of lauric acid, anhydrous methanol and concentrated sulfuric acid is heated to reflux for 18 h. The reaction is poured into water and the ester layer is separated. It was washed sequentially with water, saturated sodium bicarbonate solution and water. After drying, distillation was carried out and the 261-263C fraction was collected as methyl dodecanoate.
Purification Methods
Pass the ester through alumina before use, and distil it in a vacuum. [Beilstein 2 IV 1090.]
