Tridecane Explained

Tridecane or n-tridecane is an alkane with the chemical formula CH₃(CH₂)₁₁CH₃. Tridecane is a combustible colourless liquid. In industry, they have no specific value aside from being components of various fuels and solvents. In the research laboratory, tridecane is also used as a distillation chaser.

Natural occurrence

Nymphs of the southern green shield bug produce tridecane as a dispersion/aggregation pheromone, which possibly serves as a defense against predators.^[1] It is also the main component of the defensive fluid produced by the stink bug Cosmopepla bimaculata.^[2]

See also

• Higher alkanes
• List of isomers of tridecane

External links

• Material Safety Data Sheet for Tridecane
• Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases

Notes and References

1. Todd . J. W. . 1989 . Ecology and behavior of Nezara viridula . Annual Review of Entomology . 34 . 273–292(20) . 10.1146/annurev.en.34.010189.001421 .
2. Krall . Brian S. . Bartelt . Robert J. . Lewis . Cara J. . Whitman . Douglas W. . 1999 . Chemical Defense in the Stink Bug Cosmopepla bimaculata . Journal of Chemical Ecology . 25 . 11 . 2477–94(18) . 10.1023/A:1020822107806 . 13652977 .