Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 10, 2026

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. Therefore the formula of cocamide can be written as CH3(CH2)10CONH2, though the number of carbon atoms in the chains varies.

Last revised
Jun 10, 2026
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Cocamide
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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
EC Number
  • 263-039-4
UNII
Properties
CH3(CH2)nCONH2
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

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

References

References

  1. Groot, Anton (2021). Monographs in Contact Allergy, Volume 1,Non-Fragrance Allergens in Cosmetics (Part 1 and Part 2). CRC Press. p. 4. ISBN 9781000421842.
  2. Ash, Michael (1998). Handbook of Green Chemicals. Synapse Information Resources. p. 814. ISBN 9781890595791.
  3. Flick, Ernest (1998). Industrial Surfactants An Industrial Guide. Elsevier Science. p. 122.