描述
Undecane, also known as ch3-[ch2]9-ch3 or hendekan, 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, undecane is considered to be a hydrocarbon lipid molecule. Undecane can be found in cardamom, which makes undecane a potential biomarker for the consumption of this food product. Undecane can be found primarily in feces, saliva, and urine. Undecane may also be used as an internal standard in gas chromatography when working with other hydrocarbons. Since the boiling point of undecane (196 °C) is well known, it may be used as a comparison for retention times in a gas chromatograph for molecules whose structure has been freshly elucidated. For example, if one is working with a 50 m crosslinked methyl silicone capillary column with an oven temperature increasing slowly, beginning around 60 °C, an 11-carbon molecule like undecane may be used as an internal standard to be compared with the retention times of other 10-, 11-, or 12- carbon molecules, depending on their structures .