The composition of New Zealand beeswax

Abstract

Esters which occur in plants may be divided into two classes, fixed oils and waxes. Fixed oils are esters of glycerol with saturated and unsaturated fatty acids whereas the waxes are derived from monohydric alcohols. Both liquid and solid waxes are known, the liquid waxes being esters of unsaturated acids whilst solid waxes are esters of higher alcohols of the ethane series with higher fatty acids. In addition to these esters the waxes contain varying amounts of free acid and small quantities of hydrocarbon. Beeswax contains in addition to solid esters, free fatty acids to the extent of about fifteen per cent. Recently synthetic waxes have been prepared by heating mixtures of the higher acids and alcohols in iron vessels or in the presence of molten tin and also by action of acid chlorides on the alcohols. Tricosyl myristate, palmitate and stearate and others have been obtained.