Japanic acid
Japanic acid or heneicosanedioic acid is a chemical compound with the chemical formula.
The compound is a long-chain dicarboxylic acid, one of the longest naturally occurring dicarboxylic acids. Initially, it was extracted from natural fat called Japan wax.
Discovery
Japanic acid was first isolated by Eberhardt in 1888 by fractional distillation under vacuum.Since the natural raw material from which the acid is obtained was the dried juice of some species of acacia trees, called "Japanese dirt", and the acid was called Japanic.
Physical properties
Like other long-chain dicarboxylic acids, it demonstrates physical properties typical of fatty acids with extended carbon backbones, including high melting points and limited water solubility.Japanic acid melts at a temperature of 117.5–117.9 °C. When heated to 200 °C, it begins to decompose with the release of and the formation of ketone.
The acid and its salts are colored in various shades of brown. The acid is only slightly soluble in most solvents.