Hexadecane (also called cetane) is an alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C16H34.

[9] Cetane ignites very easily under compression; for this reason, it is assigned a cetane number of 100, and serves as a reference for other fuel mixtures.

[10] Hexadecyl is an alkyl radical of carbon and hydrogen derived from hexadecane, with formula C16H33 and with mass 225.433,[11] occurring especially in cetyl alcohol.

[13] Carboplatin modified with hexadecyl and polyethylene glycol has increased liposolubility and PEGylation, proposed to useful in chemotherapy, specifically non-small-cell lung cancer.

[18] Hexadecyl platelet-activating factor has profound effects on the lung,[19] and hexadecyl glyceryl ether participates in the biosynthesis of plasmalogens.