Lauric acid
Lauric acid (dodecanoic acid) is a saturated fatty acid with a 12-carbon chain, formula C12H24O2 and CAS number 143-07-7. It is a white, waxy solid at room temperature and occurs abundantly in coconut oil and palm kernel oil. It is widely used as a feedstock for soaps, surfactants, esters and cosmetic ingredients, and as a reference standard in lipid analysis.
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Lauric acid
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What is lauric acid chemically?
Lauric acid, systematically named dodecanoic acid, is a straight-chain saturated carboxylic acid, CH3(CH2)10COOH, with a molar mass of about 200.3 g/mol. It is classed as a medium-chain fatty acid. It melts at roughly 43–44 °C, is practically insoluble in water and dissolves readily in ethanol and other organic solvents. It makes up a large proportion of the fatty acids in coconut oil and palm kernel oil, the so-called lauric oils, from which it is commercially obtained by hydrolysis and fractional distillation.
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Where is lauric acid used?
Industrially, lauric acid and its derivatives are central to the oleochemical sector. It is neutralised to give laurate soaps, reduced to lauryl alcohol (dodecanol) for surfactant manufacture, and esterified to produce emollients, glycerides such as monolaurin, and other speciality esters. Applications span personal care, detergents, lubricants, coatings and food ingredients. In the laboratory it serves as an analytical reference material, for example as its methyl ester in GC and GC-MS fatty acid profiling.
What should buyers check when sourcing lauric acid?
Lauric acid is supplied in several grades, including technical, cosmetic, FCC (food) and high-purity analytical grades. Key specification points on the CoA typically include assay or C12 content, acid value, iodine value (an indicator of unsaturated impurities), colour and moisture. Buyers should confirm the source oil and sustainability certification where relevant, check REACH registration status for EU and UK supply, and review the SDS for GHS hazard information, as eye irritation is commonly noted.
Related concepts
Lauric acid is closely related to other fatty acids such as capric, myristic and palmitic acids, and to derivatives including sodium laurate, lauryl alcohol, sodium lauryl sulfate and monolaurin. Relevant analytical concepts include fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), acid value and iodine value.
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