Occurrence
Found in spermaceti wax and sperm oil (Givaudan Index, 1961).
Preparation
By reduction of the fatty acid ester by LiAlH
4 .
Toxicity evaluation
The acute oral LD
50 value in rats was reported as > 5 g/kg(Levenstein, 1974) , and the acute oral LD
50 of mixed isomers of tetradecanol as 32.5 ml/kg in rats (Smyth, Carpenter, Weil, Pozzani, Striegel & Nycum, 1969).The acute dermal LD
50 value in rabbits was reported as > 5 g/kg by Levenstein (1974) and as 7.13 ml/kg by Smyth et al (1969).
Safety Profile
Mildly toxic by ingestion and skin contact. Combustible when exposed to heat or flame; can react with oxidning materials. To fight fire, use CO2, dry chemical. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes.
Metabolism
Tetradecanol supported the growth of Pseudomonas C12B in minimal media (Williams, May berry & Payne, 1966). In the oxidation of tetradecanol by Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultures, tetradecanol was accumulated as the semicarbazone, supporting the possibility of production of an intermediate aldehyde (Büning-Pfaue & Rehm, 1972).
