N-octanoic acid is a colorless and transparent liquid. Relative density 0.908. The melting point is 16.5℃, the boiling point is 237℃, the refractive index is 1.4285, and the flash point is 106℃. Slightly soluble in hot water, soluble in most organic solvents, such as ethanol, ether, chloroform, benzene, carbon disulfide, petroleum ether and glacial acetic acid.
The production method of n-octanoic acid is as follows:
Natural products exist in nutmeg, lemongrass, apples, coconut oil, wine, hops, etc., and are used Caprylic acid is obtained from coconut oil by fractionation of volatile fatty acids.
The industrial production of octanoic acid uses octanal as raw material. During laboratory preparation, n-hexylmalonic acid is used to heat to release carbon dioxide, and the pressure is reduced to 4~6.65kPa to complete the reaction. Finally, the reaction product is distilled under reduced pressure, and the 127~129°C (2.13kPa) fraction is collected as octanoic acid. The yield is 80~85%. Caprylic acid can be produced from the reaction of 1-octene and peracetic acid.
In addition, there is also the n-octanol oxidative dehydrogenation method.