Cocamide

Cocamide is a mixture of amides manufactured from the fatty acids obtained from coconut oil. As coconut oil contains about 50% of lauric acid, in formulas only the 12-carbon chains tend to be considered.^[1] Therefore the formula of cocamide can be written as CH₃(CH₂)₁₀CONH₂, though the number of carbon atoms in the chains varies (it is always even).^[2]

Cocamide

General chemical structure of cocamide where n = 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16
Names
Other names Coco amides Coconut oil amides Coco fatty acid amides Coco fatty amides
Identifiers
CAS Number	61789-19-3
EC Number	263-039-4
UNII	3YXD33R71G
Properties
Chemical formula	CH3(CH2)nCONH2
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Cocamide is the structural basis of many surfactants. Common are ethanolamines (cocamide MEA, cocamide DEA), betaine compounds (cocamidopropyl betaine), and hydroxysultaines (cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine).^[3]