3401. Docusate Sodium

Nomenclature

CAS number: 577-11-7
Sulfobutanedioic acid 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester sodium salt; sulfosuccinic acid 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester S-sodium salt; bis(2-ethylhexyl)sodium sulfosuccinate; dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate; sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate; DSS; Aerosol OT (Cyanamid); Colace (Roberts); Comfolax (Searle); Coprola (Dunster); Dioctylal (Continental Pharma); Dioctyl (Medo); Diotilan (Chinoin); Disonate (Lannett); Doxinate (Hoechst); Doxol (Blair); Dulcivac (Harvey); Jamylène (Théraplix); Molatoc; Molcer (Wallace); Nevax; Regutol (Schering-Plough); Soliwax (Concept Pharm.); Velmol (Berlex); Waxsol (Norgine); Yal (Ritter).
C20H37NaO7S; mol wt 444.56.
C 54.03%, H 8.39%, Na 5.17%, O 25.19%, S 7.21%.

Description and references

Prepn: Jaeger, US 2028091; US 2176423 (1936, 1939, both to Am. Cyanamid). Structure and wetting power: Caryl, Ind. Eng. Chem. 33, 731 (1941). Comprehensive description: S. Ahuja, J. Cohen, Anal. Profiles Drug Subs. 2, 199-219 (1973); 12, 713-720 (1983). For structure see Docusate calcium.

Properties

Available as wax-like solid, usually in rolls of tissue-thin material; also as 50-75% solns in various solvents. Soly in water (g/l): 15 (25°), 23 (40°), 30 (50°), 55 (70°). Sol in CCl4, petr ether, naphtha, xylene, dibutyl phthalate, liquid petrolatum, acetone, alcohol, vegetable oils. Very sol in water + alcohol, water + water-miscible organic solvents. Stable in acid and neutral solns; hydrolyzes in alkaline solns.

Note

Ingredient of the laxative Peri-Colace which also contains casanthranol.

Derivative

Docusate potassium.

Nomenclature

CAS number: 7491-09-0
Rectalad (Carter-Wallace).
C20H37KO7S; mol wt 460.67.
C 52.14%, H 8.10%, K 8.49%, O 24.31%, S 6.96%.

Use

Sodium salt as pharmaceutic aid (surfactant); as wetting agent in industrial, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food applications; dispersing and solubilizing agent in foods; adjuvant in tablet formation.

Therapeutic Category

Stool softener.

Therapeutic Category (Veterinary)

Stool softener.

Keywords

Laxative/Cathartic