1-TETRACOSANOL

1-Tetracosanol is a saturated, unbranched, very-long-chain primary fatty alcohol containing 24 carbon atoms and one terminal hydroxyl group.
It is a high-melting waxy solid used principally as a chemical intermediate, an analytical reference material, a defined component for lipid and wax research, and a specialty structuring material in compatible oil-based formulations.

The product is commercially relevant when a buyer needs a single C24 alcohol with a controlled homolog profile rather than a mixed higher-fatty-alcohol fraction.
Its melting range, assay, residual ester and fatty-acid content, neighboring C22, C26 and C28 alcohols, source, physical form and analytical documentation are central to grade selection.

CHEMICAL IDENTITY AND COMMON NAMES

The systematic name tetracosan-1-ol describes a straight 24-carbon alkane chain carrying the hydroxyl group at carbon 1.
The established common name lignoceryl alcohol reflects its close chemical relationship to lignoceric acid, which is the corresponding C24 saturated carboxylic acid.
Lignoceric acid is not a synonym for 1-Tetracosanol because the acid and alcohol have different functional groups, molecular formulas and reactivity.

1-Tetracosanol is also distinct from 1-docosanol, 1-hexacosanol and 1-octacosanol, which contain 22, 26 and 28 carbon atoms respectively.
Policosanol, beeswax alcohols and other natural wax-alcohol concentrates are multicomponent mixtures that can contain 1-Tetracosanol but are not equivalent to the isolated substance.
This distinction is particularly important in analytical work, reaction stoichiometry, melting control and composition-sensitive formulation.

Synonyms and Common Names: Tetracosan-1-ol, Tetracosanol, Tetracosanol-1, Tetracosanol, 1-, n-Tetracosanol, n-Tetracosanol-1, Tetracosyl alcohol, Lignoceryl alcohol, Lignoceric alcohol, Lignocerol, Alcohol C24, C24 alcohol, C24:0 alcohol, NSC 93768, NSC-93768

TECHNICAL IDENTIFICATION

CAS Number: 506-51-4
EC / EINECS Number: 208-043-9
Molecular Formula: C24H50O
Condensed Structural Formula: CH3(CH2)23OH
Molar Mass: 354.65 g/mol
Exact Mass: 354.3862 Da
IUPAC Name: Tetracosan-1-ol
Chemical Class: Saturated linear primary fatty alcohol
Lipid Shorthand: C24:0 alcohol
Hydroxyl Functionality: One primary hydroxyl group per molecule
Theoretical Hydroxyl Value: 158.2 mg KOH/g
InChIKey: TYWMIZZBOVGFOV-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Canonical SMILES: CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCO
UNII: 2N0PI37IOC

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Appearance: White to slightly off-white crystalline powder, crystals, flakes or waxy solid
Physical State at 20 °C: Solid
Melting Point: 75–77 °C
Flash Point: 218 °C
Decomposition Temperature: Above 400 °C
Vapour Pressure: Less than 0.001 hPa at 38 °C
Water Solubility: Practically insoluble
Solubility in Chloroform: Soluble, with a clear solution obtainable at 10 mg/mL
Solubility in Hexanes: Slightly soluble at ambient temperature
Solubility in Ethanol: Low at ambient temperature and substantially increased in hot ethanol
Dynamic Viscosity: 8.3 mPa·s at 80 °C
Kinematic Viscosity: 10.4 mm²/s at 80 °C
pH: Not applicable to the neat substance
Volatility: Very low under normal handling conditions
Hydrophobicity: Very high
Chemical Stability: Stable under normal dry storage and handling conditions
Incompatible Materials: Strong oxidizing agents
Hazardous Polymerization: Does not occur
Combustion and Thermal Decomposition Products: Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and irritating organic fumes

The narrow melting transition is one of the most useful routine indicators for a high-purity C24 homolog.
Broader or shifted melting behaviour can reveal a different homolog distribution, residual wax esters, free fatty acids or other long-chain components.

FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

The long, saturated hydrocarbon chain provides strong hydrophobicity, close molecular packing, crystallinity, low volatility and a wax-like texture.
Compared with cetyl, stearyl and behenyl alcohols, the longer C24 chain raises the melting and solidification temperature and can produce firmer crystalline networks at comparable use levels.

The terminal hydroxyl group introduces a defined reactive site without overcoming the hydrophobic character of the carbon chain.
It supports esterification, etherification, oxidation and other derivatization chemistry while also contributing hydrogen bonding and polar interactions within waxy or oil-continuous systems.

Neat 1-Tetracosanol is not a conventional stand-alone emulsifier because the single hydroxyl group provides insufficient hydrophilic balance for most oil-in-water systems.
In formulations containing a suitable emulsifier system, it can contribute consistency, high-temperature body, oil-phase structure, surface lubricity and an occlusive waxy film.
Its strong crystallization tendency makes cooling conditions and the surrounding oil, wax and surfactant composition important to final texture.

PRODUCTION AND COMMERCIAL FORM

1-Tetracosanol can be produced by catalytic reduction of lignoceric acid or its esters, followed by separation and purification of the C24 alcohol.
Higher-fatty-alcohol manufacturing routes can also generate a homolog series that is fractionated to concentrate or isolate the C24 component.

Natural waxes contain long-chain alcohols mainly as wax esters and may also contain smaller amounts of free alcohols.
A natural-source route uses hydrolysis or saponification to release the alcohol fraction, followed by solvent separation, fractional crystallization, molecular distillation or another composition-selective purification step.
Natural wax alcohol fractions commonly retain C22, C26, C28 and longer homologs unless purification is specifically directed toward 1-Tetracosanol.

Commercial high-purity material is supplied neat as powder, crystals, flakes or a waxy solid.
Analytical reference material is commonly supplied in small sealed units with assigned purity and chromatographic documentation, while synthesis and formulation quantities use larger sealed packages suited to a high-melting organic solid.

APPLICATIONS AND INDUSTRIES

CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS AND DERIVATIVE MANUFACTURE

The primary hydroxyl group makes 1-Tetracosanol a defined building block for C24 esters, ethers, halides, sulfonates, phosphates and other long-chain derivatives.
Esterification with selected carboxylic acids produces highly hydrophobic wax esters whose melting, lubricity, surface behaviour and compatibility reflect both the C24 alcohol chain and the acid component.
Oxidation provides access to tetracosanal and lignoceric acid, while activation or substitution of the hydroxyl group supports further carbon-chain functionalization.

Its precisely defined chain length is valuable in fine-chemical and materials research because it avoids the broad melting and composition profile introduced by mixed fatty alcohols.
Reaction-grade selection therefore focuses on assay, hydroxyl value, acid value, water, residual solvents and the distribution of adjacent homologs.

ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, LIPID SCIENCE AND QUALITY CONTROL

High-purity 1-Tetracosanol is used as a reference compound for identifying and quantifying very-long-chain fatty alcohols by gas chromatography, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and related lipid-analysis techniques.
It supports the characterization of plant waxes, wool-wax fractions, beeswax alcohols, policosanol-type mixtures, food and cosmetic raw materials, biological lipids and products formed by wax-ester hydrolysis.

The C24:0 alcohol can serve as a retention-time reference, calibration component, recovery standard or identity comparator when the analytical method is designed for the relevant matrix.
Derivatization to a more chromatographically responsive form can improve peak shape and sensitivity in methods for low-level fatty-alcohol determination.
High-temperature inlet, column and detector conditions are normally required because of the compound’s high molecular mass and very low volatility.

NATURAL WAX AND POLICOSANOL CHARACTERIZATION

1-Tetracosanol occurs in natural wax systems and can be liberated from their ester fraction during saponification.
Its concentration is one of the compositional measurements used to distinguish wax sources, assess processing changes and characterize higher-fatty-alcohol concentrates.

Pure 1-Tetracosanol and a C24-containing wax-alcohol mixture serve different technical purposes.
The isolated substance provides controlled molecular identity and stoichiometry, while a natural mixture provides a broader homolog distribution and a correspondingly broader melting profile.
Health or performance claims associated with a policosanol mixture do not define the properties or intended use of isolated 1-Tetracosanol.

PERSONAL CARE AND SPECIALTY FORMULATION

In compatible anhydrous products and heated emulsion oil phases, 1-Tetracosanol can function as a high-melting consistency aid, wax structurant, emollient component and texture modifier.
Potential product formats include sticks, balms, ointment-like bases, protective wax systems and creams that use a separate emulsifier package.
The C24 chain can increase firmness, reduce surface tack and contribute a persistent hydrophobic film, while the terminal hydroxyl group supports interaction with other fatty alcohols, waxes and polar oil-phase materials.

Formulation grade selection emphasizes colour, odour, melting range, homolog purity, residual acid or ester content and source documentation.
Products intended for cosmetic, pharmaceutical, food or nutraceutical markets require an application-specific grade and the documentation demanded by the target jurisdiction and finished-product use.

SPECIALTY WAXES, COATINGS AND MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT

The combination of a high melting point, low volatility and linear crystalline chain makes 1-Tetracosanol useful in specialty wax, surface and coating development where a defined C24 component is required.
It can be evaluated as a hardness and crystallization modifier, a hydrophobic surface component or a precursor to tailored wax esters and other functional materials.
Performance in these systems is governed by concentration, compatibility, cooling history and the melting behaviour of the complete composition.

GRADE SELECTION AND PRODUCT SUITABILITY

Synthesis Grade: Assay-controlled material selected for derivatization, oxidation, esterification and fine-chemical work where the principal requirement is a known C24 reactant.
High-Purity Grade: Material commonly specified at not less than 98% by gas chromatography, with controlled appearance, melting range and structural identity.
Analytical and Lipid Standard Grade: Material with assigned high purity, often above 99%, accompanied by traceability and chromatographic data for quantitative or identity-based methods.
Formulation Grade: Material selected through melting range, colour, odour, physical form, homolog distribution and application-specific documentation.
Natural-Wax Alcohol Fraction: A multicomponent product in which 1-Tetracosanol content and the complete fatty-alcohol distribution are separately reported.

Purity should be interpreted together with the analytical method.
Gas-chromatographic area percentage provides a direct view of volatile fatty-alcohol homologs, while titrimetric hydroxyl value responds to total hydroxyl functionality and does not by itself establish C24 identity.

Adjacent even-carbon alcohols are especially important because their chemical behaviour is similar but their melting points and chromatographic retention differ.
Unsaturated or branched alcohols can reduce crystallinity and alter texture, while residual lignoceric acid or wax ester changes acid value, hydroxyl balance and reaction stoichiometry.

FORMULATION AND PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS

1-Tetracosanol should be introduced into the heated oil, wax or organic phase rather than directly into water.
Processing above its 75–77 °C melting range, commonly around 80–85 °C for a homogeneous melt, supports uniform incorporation without unnecessary prolonged heating.

Controlled cooling and agitation are important because the C24 alcohol recrystallizes as the batch passes below its solidification region.
Cooling profile, shear and the presence of other crystalline lipids determine crystal size, graininess, hardness, viscosity development and the risk of post-production texture change.
A pilot-scale cooling study is particularly useful when the formulation contains several fatty alcohols or waxes with overlapping transitions.

For laboratory solution preparation, chloroform and compatible nonpolar organic solvents are more effective than water, while heated ethanol can be used where the method is designed for hot dissolution.
Filtration should be performed above the crystallization temperature when the objective is to remove insoluble matter from a hot solution.

Molten transfer lines and vessels need sufficient temperature control to prevent solidification at cool surfaces.
Equipment should be dry and clean when low acid value, low moisture or high analytical purity is required.
Contact with strong oxidizing agents and excessive local heating should be avoided.

QUALITY, SPECIFICATIONS AND DOCUMENTATION

The most informative quality package combines identity testing with a composition-specific assay and physical-property controls.
Useful release parameters include appearance, gas-chromatographic purity, homolog distribution, melting range, hydroxyl value, acid value, water or loss on drying, colour, residual solvents and residual ester content.

Gas Chromatography with Flame-Ionization Detection: Measures assay and separates neighboring long-chain alcohol homologs under a suitable high-temperature method.
Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry: Supports identity and impurity assignment through retention behaviour and mass spectral information.
Infrared Spectroscopy: Confirms the primary alcohol functionality and hydrocarbon-chain pattern.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: Confirms the terminal hydroxymethylene group and the expected straight-chain structure.
Melting Range: Provides a rapid control for identity, purity and homolog composition.
Hydroxyl Value: Supports functional-group balance and reaction calculations, with a theoretical value of 158.2 mg KOH/g for pure 1-Tetracosanol.
Acid Value: Detects residual lignoceric acid and other free acidic material.
Saponification Value or Ester Analysis: Detects residual wax esters or ester-form impurities when relevant to the production route.

Technical Data Sheet: Summarizes the supplied grade, physical form, principal specification parameters and intended technical context.
Safety Data Sheet: Provides classification, protective measures, first aid, fire response, handling, storage, transport and disposal information.
Certificate of Analysis: Records lot-specific results for the agreed specification and analytical tests.

SAFETY AND REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS

GHS Classification: Not classified as hazardous under current industrial hazard criteria
Acute Oral Toxicity: LD50 greater than 2,000 mg/kg in rats
Acute Dermal Toxicity: LD50 greater than 16,800 mg/kg in rabbits
Transport Status: Not regulated as dangerous goods for road, sea or air transport
United States TSCA Inventory Status: Active

Although the neat solid is not assigned a GHS hazard classification, dust should be controlled to limit mechanical eye and respiratory irritation.
Molten material can cause serious thermal burns because processing temperatures exceed 75 °C.
Safety glasses or goggles, suitable gloves, protective clothing and local ventilation provide appropriate routine control, with heat-resistant gloves and face protection used for molten handling.

The material is combustible at elevated temperature.
Suitable fire-extinguishing media include water spray, dry chemical, carbon dioxide and alcohol-resistant foam.
Firefighters should use full protective equipment and self-contained breathing apparatus where smoke or decomposition fumes are present.

Spilled powder or flakes should be collected by sweeping or vacuum methods that minimize dust and placed in a closed waste container.
Molten spills should be allowed to cool and solidify before mechanical collection when this can be done safely.
Uncontrolled release to drains, soil and surface water should be prevented.

FIRST AID

Inhalation: Move the affected person to fresh air and obtain medical attention if coughing, irritation or discomfort persists.

Skin Contact: Wash exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water and remove contaminated clothing.

Molten Material Contact: Cool the affected area immediately with clean running water, do not pull solidified material from the skin and obtain urgent medical treatment.

Eye Contact: Rinse cautiously with clean water for at least 15 minutes, remove contact lenses when easy to do and obtain medical attention if irritation persists.

Ingestion: Rinse the mouth, give water to drink and obtain medical attention if symptoms occur.

Note to Physicians: Provide symptomatic and supportive treatment, with burn care for contact with molten material.

HANDLING AND STORAGE

Handle 1-Tetracosanol in a clean, well-ventilated area with measures that prevent dust generation and cross-contamination.
Keep containers closed when not in use and use clean, dry tools for sampling or charging.
Heated operations require temperature control, guarded hot surfaces and procedures for safe draining before the material solidifies.

Storage Conditions: Store tightly closed in a cool, dry, dark and well-ventilated place.
Temperature Control: Keep the packaged solid away from excessive heat and below its melting region during storage and transport.
Segregation: Store away from strong oxidizing agents and ignition sources.
Housekeeping: Remove deposits from floors and equipment to prevent slip hazards and contamination.

PACKAGING AND PROCUREMENT CONSIDERATIONS

1-Tetracosanol is packed as a neat solid in sealed, clean and chemically compatible containers that protect it from dirt, heat and cross-contamination.
Small analytical quantities benefit from tightly closed glass or compatible polymer containers, while larger quantities can use lined bags, pails or drums selected for the required purity and physical form.

A complete purchase description should state 1-Tetracosanol, CAS 506-51-4, the required grade, minimum assay, analytical method, homolog profile, melting range, source preference, physical form, package size and intended application.
Reaction buyers should also define hydroxyl value, acid value, water and residual-solvent needs.
Formulation buyers should include colour, odour, texture, melting behaviour and application documentation, while analytical buyers should specify assigned purity, traceability, chromatographic data and unit size.

Ataman Kimya can support 1-Tetracosanol enquiries involving grade selection, purity and homolog requirements, specifications, documentation, packaging and supply planning.
For product and procurement discussions, contact Ataman Kimya at +90 216 577 10 10 or info@atamankimya.com.