Question #498cf

1 Answer
Simon Moore
Mar 31, 2016

Only very sparingly (I assume you mean "ethanol"?).

Explanation:

Solubility in either water or ethanol is very low. Stearic acid is a C18 based carboxylic acid, and with such a long non-polar hydrocarbon "tail" it has very limited solubility in polar solvents.

Typical solubility of stearic acid in water is 0.3 g of stearic acid per litre of water at 25 celcius.

Solubility in ethanol is slightly higher, typically around 20 g of stearic acid per litre of water at 25 celcius.

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