N-hexanoic acid has high application value and strong downstream market demand

N-caproic acid, also known as caproic acid or butylacetic acid, is a fatty carboxylic acid with the chemical formula C6H12O2. It mainly appears as a colorless or light yellow oily liquid with an odor similar to dry cheese. It is often used as a food flavoring in cheese. , cream and fruit flavors. According to different molecular structures, n-caproic acid can be divided into ethyl n-caproic acid, amino n-caproic acid, oxy-n-caproic acid, bromo-n-caproic acid, etc.

N-hexanoic acid is widely used and has strong demand in the downstream market. In addition to being used as a food flavoring, n-hexanoic acid can be synthesized with ethanol into ethyl n-hexanoate. Ethyl n-hexanoate is one of the flavors used to blend alcohol. It can interact with other volatile components to produce a unique aroma, and can also adjust the strong aroma. It can increase the acidity of liquor and improve the taste and stability of liquor. N-caproic acid can be synthesized with glycerol to synthesize tricaproylglyceride. This compound is mainly used as a food additive in margarine, milk and other food processing links. N-caproic acid is also widely used in the pharmaceutical field and can be used as the main raw material for various contraceptive pills, anti-ringworm drugs, and anti-cancer drugs such as resorcin.

n-Caproic acid production processes are diverse, including distillation, esterification, hydrolysis and oxidation. Among them, the distillation method mainly extracts n-hexanoic acid from plants, with a small output and high production cost; the esterification method requires more organic solvents, which is easy to cause pollution, has high production costs, and puts great pressure on environmental protection of enterprises; the products prepared by the hydrolysis method have low purity , further finishing is required, and the production efficiency is poor; the oxidation method has abundant raw materials available, including sec-octanol, n-hexanol, n-hexanal, etc., and the production cost is low. At present, the mainstream production process of n-hexanoic acid on the market is the secondary octanol oxidation method.

According to the “2023-2028 China n-caproic acid industry market in-depth research and development prospect forecast report released by the Industrial Research Center, Zhengji Acid belongs to the field of fine chemicals, and the development of the industry is strongly supported by national policies. In 2021, the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, under the guidance of the government, released the “Petroleum and Chemical Industry “14th Five-Year Plan” Development Guide”, proposing that the industry should focus on green, low-carbon, and digital transformation, and deeply implement innovation-driven development strategies, green and sustainable Continue to develop strategies and accelerate the construction of a modern fine chemical industry system. This policy will help the n-caproic acid industry adjust its structure, upgrade production processes and technologies, and develop high-quality in the direction guided by the policy.

​Industry analysts said that n-hexanoic acid has great application value, broad market demand, and huge room for industry development. my country’s n-caproic acid industry needs to strengthen technological innovation, increase R&D investment, improve product quality, reduce production costs, and improve production efficiency. At the same time, it can also strengthen cooperation and exchanges with upstream and downstream enterprises to improve the overall competitiveness of the n-caproic acid industry. In addition, it is also necessary to respond to policy calls, strengthen environmental awareness, and promote the sustainable development of the industry.