Lauric acid is a colorless, needle-like crystals with slight odor of bay oil. It is insoluble in water .The melting point is 44 - 46C (111 - 115F ) and the boiling point is 225C (437F ) @ 100mm . Lauric acid (systematically: dodecanoic acid), a saturated fatty acid, is a white, powdery solid with a faint odor of bay oil or soap.This product should be keept in a tightly closed container, stored in a cool, dry, ventilated area. It appears as a white, crystalline, water-insoluble powder, C 12 H 24 O 2 , a fatty acid occurring as the glyceride in many vegetable fats, especially coconut oil and laurel oil: used chiefly in the manufacture of soaps, detergents, cosmetics, and lauryl alcohol.
Protect against physical damage. Isolate from incompatible substances. Containers of this material may be hazardous when empty since they retain product residues (dust, solids); observe all warnings and precautions listed for the product. Lauric acid is a saturated fat. It is found in many vegetable fats, particularly in coconut and palm kernel oils. People use it as medicine.
Lauric acid is inexpensive, has a long shelf-life, and is non-toxic and safe to handle. Thus, it is often used in laboratory investigations of freezing-point depression. Lauric acid is a solid at room temperature but melts easily in boiling water, so liquid lauric acid can be treated with various solutes and used to determine their molecular masses.
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