Hexadecane is a component of gasoline, and is used as a
solvent, organic intermediate, ignition standard for diesel
fuels, and as stock for hydrocracking processes.
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Colorless liquid.
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Flammable. Insoluble in water.
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Saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as N-HEXADECANE-D34, may be incompatible with strong oxidizing agents like nitric acid. Charring of the hydrocarbon may occur followed by ignition of unreacted hydrocarbon and other nearby combustibles. In other settings, aliphatic saturated hydrocarbons are mostly unreactive. They are not affected by aqueous solutions of acids, alkalis, most oxidizing agents, and most reducing agents. When heated sufficiently or when ignited in the presence of air, oxygen or strong oxidizing agents, they burn exothermically to produce carbon dioxide and water.
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ACUTE/CHRONIC HAZARDS: Flammable.
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Combustible.
Purification Methods
Pass cetane through a column of silica gel and distil it under vacuum in a column packed with Pyrex helices. Store it over silica gel. It also crystallises from acetone, or fractionally crystallise it by partial freezing. [Beilstein 1 IV 537.]
