Icosane

Icosane
Names
	IUPAC name Icosane
	Other names Didecyl; n-Eicosane
Identifiers
CAS Number	112-95-8 ;
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image;
ChEBI	CHEBI:43619 ;
ChemSpider	7929 ;
ECHA InfoCard	100.003.653
EC Number	204-018-1;
PubChem CID	8222;
UNII	3AYA9KEC48 ;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID1025227 ;
	InChI InChI=1S/C20H42/c1-3-5-7-9-11-13-15-17-19-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2/h3-20H2,1-2H3 Key: CBFCDTFDPHXCNY-UHFFFAOYSA-N ; InChI=1/C20H42/c1-3-5-7-9-11-13-15-17-19-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2/h3-20H2,1-2H3 Key: CBFCDTFDPHXCNY-UHFFFAOYAJ;
	SMILES C(CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC)CC;
Properties
Chemical formula	C20H42
Molar mass	282.5475 g/mol
Appearance	Colorless crystals or wax-like solid
Melting point	36.7 °C (98.1 °F; 309.8 K)
Boiling point	342.7 °C (648.9 °F; 615.8 K)
Solubility in water	Insoluble
	Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). verify (what is ?) Infobox references

Icosane (also known by the name eicosane or as didecyl) is an alkane with the chemical formula C₂₀H₄₂. It has 366,319 constitutional isomers.

Icosane has little use in the petrochemical industry, as its high flash point makes it an inefficient fuel. Due to its chemical inactivity, n-icosane (the straight-chain structural isomer of icosane) is part of the paraffin group, and is the shortest molecule in the compounds used to form candles.

Icosane's size, state or chemical inactivity does not exclude it from the traits its smaller alkane counterparts have. It is a colorless, less dense than water, non-polar molecule, nearly non-reactive unless combusted, and insoluble in water. Its non-polar trait means it can only perform weak intermolecular bonding (hydrophobic/van der Waals forces).

Icosane'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.

Naming

IUPAC currently recommends icosane,^[2] whereas Chemical Abstracts Service and Beilstein use eicosane.^[3]

References

^ Material Safety Data Sheet for Eicosane
^ "Table 11 Basic numerical terms (multiplying affixes)". IUPAC. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
^ "Footnote for Table 11". IUPAC. Retrieved 2011-02-16.

External links

Icosane at Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases

[1] Material Safety Data Sheet for Eicosane

[IUPAC1-2] "Table 11 Basic numerical terms (multiplying affixes)". IUPAC. Retrieved 2011-02-16.

[IUPAC2-3] "Footnote for Table 11". IUPAC. Retrieved 2011-02-16.

[2]

[3]