c20-22 alcohols is a chemical compound, aliphatic alcohols with 20 to 22 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.

The specific alcohols involved can vary, but generally include:

• Eicosanol (C₂₀H₄₁OH), an alcohol with a chain of 20 carbon atoms. It is also known as 1-eicosanol or simply eicosanol.
• Eneicosanol (C₂₁H₄₃OH), an alcohol with a chain of 21 carbon atoms. It is also known as 1-eneicosanol or simply eneicosanol.
• Docosanol (C₂₂H₄₅OH), an alcohol with a chain of 22 carbon atoms. It is also known as 1-docosanol or simply docosanol.

The synthesis process takes place in different steps:

• Production of fatty acids. The first step is to produce the fatty acids or esters that will be used as starting material by hydrolysis of fats or oils (triglycerides) to produce fatty acids and glycerol. Alternatively, the fats or oils can be esterified with a short-chain alcohol to produce fatty acid esters.
• Hydrogenation. Fatty acids or esters are hydrogenated to produce fatty alcohols by reacting them with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst (nickel or palladium). The double bonds of the fatty acids or esters are reduced to single bonds and the carboxyl group, in the case of fatty acids, or the ester group, in the case of esters, is reduced to a hydroxyl group, forming the alcohol.
• Distillation.  The resulting mixture of fatty alcohols is fed into a process that uses distilled water to separate the C20-22 alcohols from the other fatty alcohols. This is done by exploiting the different boiling points of the fatty alcohols: C20-22 alcohols have a higher boiling point than shorter chain alcohols, so they can be separated by heating the mixture to a high enough temperature to vaporise the shorter chain alcohols, but not the C20-22 alcohols.

It appears in liquid or solid form, as beads or pellets.

What it is used for and where

Cosmetics

Emulsifier and viscosity stabiliser. 

Binder agent. Ingredient that is used in cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical products as an anti-caking agent with the function of making the product in which it is incorporated silky, compact and homogenous. The binder, either natural such as mucilage, gums and starches or chemical, may be in the form of a powder or liquid.

Emulsion stabilizer. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable. Emulsion stabilisers improve the formation and stability of single and double emulsions. It should be noted that in the structure-function relationship, molar mass plays an important role.

Viscosity control agent. It controls and adapts viscosity to the required level for optimal chemical and physical stability of the product and dosage in gels, suspensions, emulsions, solutions. 

Other uses

Used to industrially produce c20-22 alkyl phosphate

Commercial applications

Emulsifying Agent. C20-22 alcohols can help stabilize emulsions in products such as creams and lotions.

Thickening Agent. Added to products to increase their viscosity and provide a richer, more luxurious feel.

Skin Conditioning Agent. They help to leave the skin feeling soft and smooth upon application.

Stabilizer. Used in cosmetics and skincare products to enhance their stability and longevity.

Ingredient in Hair Products. Can be found in conditioners and hair treatments to improve hair manageability and feel.

• Molecular Weight   298.555
• InChI=1S/C20H42O/c1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21/h21H,2-20H2,1H3
• InChl Key   BTFJIXJJCSYFAL-UHFFFAOYSA-N
• SMILES   CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCO
• CAS   90604-34-5
• UNII  O4M0347C6A
• EC Number  292-327-2