MOLECULE

Hexatriacontane

Hexatriacontane, also known as CH3-[CH2]34-CH3, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as alkanes and has 36 carbons in its unbranched acyclic structure. Alkanes are acyclic branched or unbranched hydrocarbons having the general formula CnH2n+2, and consist entirely of hydrogen atoms and saturated carbon atoms. Hexatriacontane is possibly neutral. Hexatracontane occurs in three polymorphic crystal forms. Form I melts at 76 °C with an enthalpy of fusion of 88.74 kJ·mol−1. Two solid phase transitions precede the melting point. At 72 °C the conversion of Form III to Form II takes place, at 74 °C the conversion from Form II to Form I. At room temperature, crystal form III is the thermodynamically stable form. The compound can occur in monoclinic crystal lattices for Forms II and III and an orthorhombic crystal lattice for Form I. Recently, the presence of hexatriacontane in methanolic extracts from Achyranthes aspera has been related to an increased antidepressant activity in a Forced Swim and Tail suspension test in mice (PMID: 29256630), by raising cortical and hippocampal monoamine levels. Hexatriacontane is also found in cannabis plants (PMID: 6991645).