Waxes are a diverse class of organic compounds that are lipophilic solids that are malleable near ambient temperatures. They include higher alkanes and lipids, typically with melting points above about 40 ยฐC (104 ยฐF), melting to give low viscosity liquids. A second group of neutral lipids that are of physiological importance, though they are a minor component of biological systems, are waxes. Essentially, waxes consist of a long-chain fatty acid linked through an ester oxygen to a long-chain alcohol. Waxes are esters of long-chain fatty acids with long-chain monohydric alcohols (one hydroxyl group). The carboxylic acid and the alcohol typically each have an even number of carbons.

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