The Chemistry of Sugar-Cane Wax. I. The Nature of Sugar-Cane Wax

Abstract

Distillation of sugar-cane cuticle wax under reduced pressure gives a high yield of long-chain aldehydes, which are considered to occur in the wax in polymeric form. The products obtained from the wax under normal saponification conditions are apparently produced from the aldehydes by a Cannizzaro reaction, and by aldol condensation with subsequent dehydration. The cuticle wax also contains hydrocarbons and free alcohols and acids, but there is no conclusive evidence for the presence of esters.