Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How are long-chain alcohols obtained from fats and waxes?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
alcohol
The answer involves lighting liquid on fire.
Long-chain alcohols can be obtained from fats and waxes through a two-step chemical process.1
First, the material undergoes hydrolysis in the presence of a base, a process known as saponification. This reaction breaks down the esters found in fats and waxes. Following this, the resulting products are subjected to reduction to yield the desired long-chain alcohols.12