Abstract

Aliphatic carboxylic acids produced on a reasonably significant commercial scale range from acetic acid (two carbons or C2) through stearic acid (C18). Lesser amounts of commercially available shorter chain-length acids such as formic (C1), and longer chain-length acids, such as erucic (unsaturated C22) and behenic (saturated C22), are also produced. As a general rule, all of the even chain-length, nonisomeric acids from C6 to C22 are produced from naturally occurring fats and oils. A significant proportion of the lower chain-length (C1-C6) and longer isomeric chain-length (C7-C10) acids are made synthetically. For both oleo-based and nonoleo-based acids production and consumption figures, prices, producers, and applications are given.