A classic laboratory method involves Bouveault-Blanc reduction of ethyl laurate.

[4] Dodecanol is used to make surfactants, which are used in lubricating oils, and pharmaceuticals.

Millions of tons of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) are produced annually by sulfation of dodecyl alcohol:[6] Dodecanol is used as an emollient.

It is also the precursor to dodecanal, an important fragrance, and 1-bromododecane, an alkylating agent for improving the lipophilicity of organic molecules.

It has about half the toxicity of ethanol, but it is very harmful to marine organisms.