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One of the compounds present in carnauba wax was isolated,
Chapter 26, Problem 26.42(choose chapter or problem)
One of the compounds present in carnauba wax was isolated, purified, and then treated with aqueous sodium hydroxide to yield an alcohol with 30 carbon atoms and a carboxylate ion with 20 carbon atoms. Draw the likely structure of the compound.
Questions & Answers
QUESTION:
One of the compounds present in carnauba wax was isolated, purified, and then treated with aqueous sodium hydroxide to yield an alcohol with 30 carbon atoms and a carboxylate ion with 20 carbon atoms. Draw the likely structure of the compound.
ANSWER:Step 1 of 2
This question concerns carnauba wax. Waxes are high molecular weight esters prepared from long chain alkanoic acids and long chain alkanols. An unknown compound present in carnauba wax was isolated, purified, and then treated with aqueous sodium hydroxide. These are hydrolysis conditions which separates the ester back into its two component parts. In the case of this unknown compound, the result of the hydrolysis was an alcohol with 30 carbon atoms and a carboxylate ion with 20 carbon atoms. We’re asked to draw the likely structure of the compound.