Eicosane
Template:Chembox Eicosane (alternative spellings icosane and eichosane<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>) is an alkane with the chemical formula C20H42. It has 366,319 constitutional isomers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
n-Eicosane (the straight-chain structural isomer of eicosane) is the shortest compound found in paraffin waxes, used to form candles. It can be isolated from agave attenuate leaves. It is also found in Vanilla madagascariensis and Gymnodinium nagasakiense.<ref name="Pubchem">Eicosane Pubchem</ref>
Eicosane's size, state and chemical inactivity do not exclude it from the traits of its smaller alkane counterparts. It is a colorless or white, non-polar molecule, nearly unreactive except when it burns. It is less dense than and insoluble in water. Its non-polar trait means it can only perform weak intermolecular bonding (hydrophobic/van der Waals forces).
Eicosane's phase transition at a moderate temperature makes it a candidate phase change material, or PCM, which can be used to store thermal energy and control temperature.
It can be detected in the body odor of persons suffering from Parkinson's disease.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Naming
It is derived from ἐίκοσι (eikosi), Greek for 20 (cf. icosahedron).
IUPAC currently recommends icosane,<ref name=IUPAC1>Template:Cite web</ref> whereas Chemical Abstracts Service and Beilstein use eicosane.<ref name=IUPAC2>Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
References
External links
- Icosane at Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
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- Methane (Template:Chem2)
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- Pentane (Template:Chem2)
- Hexane (Template:Chem2)
- Heptane (Template:Chem2)
- Octane (Template:Chem2)
- Nonane (Template:Chem2)
- Decane (Template:Chem2)
- Undecane (Template:Chem2)
- Dodecane (Template:Chem2)
- Tridecane (Template:Chem2)
- Tetradecane (Template:Chem2)
- Pentadecane (Template:Chem2)
- Hexadecane / Cetane (Template:Chem2)
- Heptadecane (Template:Chem2)
- Octadecane (Template:Chem2)
- Nonadecane (Template:Chem2)
- Eicosane (Template:Chem2)
- Heneicosane (Template:Chem2)
- Tetracosane (Template:Chem2)
- Nonacosane (Template:Chem2)
- Hentriacontane (Template:Chem2)
- Pentatriacontane (Template:Chem2)
- Hectane (Template:Chem2)
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