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... an odour similar to ammonia. (1) Ethanolamine structure (2) Lauric acid, or dodecanoic acid, is a saturated fatty acid with the structural formula CH3(CH2)10COOH . It is the main acid in coconut oil and in palm kernel oil, and is believed to have antimicrobial properties. It is a white, powdery solid with a faint odor of bay oil or soap. Lauric acid, although slightly irritating to mucous membranes, has a very low toxicity and so is used in many soaps and shampoos. Sodium lauryl sulfate is the most common lauric-acid derived compound used for this purpose. Because lauric acid has a non-polar hydrocarbon tail and a polar carboxylic acid head, it can interact with polar solvents (the most important being water) as well as fats, allowing water to dissolve fats. This accounts for the abilities of shampoos to remove grease from hair. (3) Lauric acid structure Lauric ethanolamine (CH3(CH2)10C(=O)NHCH2CH2OH) is a nonionic surfactant ...