描述
N-docosane, also known as ch3-[ch2]20-ch3 or dokosan, is a member of the class of compounds known as alkanes. Alkanes are acyclic branched or unbranched hydrocarbons having the general formula CnH2n+2 , and therefore consisting entirely of hydrogen atoms and saturated carbon atoms. Thus, N-docosane is considered to be a hydrocarbon lipid molecule. N-docosane is an alkane and waxy tasting compound and can be found in a number of food items such as lemon balm, linden, allspice, and sunflower, which makes N-docosane a potential biomarker for the consumption of these food products. N-docosane can be found primarily in saliva. The term higher alkanes is sometimes used literally as "alkanes with a higher number of carbon atoms". One definition distinguishes the higher alkanes as the n-alkanes that are solid under natural conditions .