ProPertieS of fAtty AcidS And their methyl eSterS

This table gives the names and selected properties of some im-

portant fatty acids and their methyl esters . It includes most of the

acids that are significant constituents of naturally occurring oils

and fats . Compounds are listed first by number of carbon atoms

and, secondly, by the degree of unsaturation . Both the systematic

name and the common or trivial name are given, as well as the

Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number and the shorthand

acid code that is frequently used . The first number in this code

gives the number of carbon atoms; the number following the co-

lon is the number of unsaturated centers (mainly double bonds) .

The location and orientation of the unsaturated centers follow .

The symbols used are: c = cis; t = trans; a = acetylenic center; e =

ethylenic center at end of chain; ep = epoxy . Thus 9c,11t indicates

a double bond with cis orientation at the No . 9 carbon and another

with trans orientation at the No . 11 carbon . More details on the

codes can be found in Reference 1 .

The table gives the molecular weight and melting point of the

acid and the melting and boiling points of the methyl ester of the

acid when available . A superscript on the boiling point indicates the

pressure in mmHg (torr); if there is no superscript, the value refers

to one atmosphere (760 mmHg) . The references cover many other

fatty acids beyond those listed here and give additional properties .

We are indebted to Frank D . Gunstone for advice on the content

of the table .

references

1 . Gunstone, F . D ., Harwood, J . L ., and Dijkstra, A . J ., eds ., The Lipid

Handbook, Third Edition, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2006 .

2 . Gunstone, F . D ., and Adlof, R . O ., Common (non-systematic) Names

for Fatty Acids, www .aocs .org/member/division/analytic/fanames .

asp, 2003 .

3 . Firestone, D ., Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Oils, Fats, and

Waxes, 2nd Edition, AOCS Press, Urbana, IL, 2006 .

4 . Dawson, R . M . C ., Elliott, D . C ., Elliott, W . H ., and Jones, K . M ., Data

for Biochemical Research, Third Edition, Clarendon Press, Oxford,

1986 .

5 . Altman, P . L ., and Dittmer, D . S ., eds ., Biology Data Book, Second

Edition, Vol . 1, Federation of American Societies for Experimental

Biology, Bethesda, MD, 1972 .

6 . Fasman, G . D ., Ed ., Practical Handbook of Biochemistry and Molecular

Biology, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1989 .

Systematic name

Common name

Mol.

form.

Acid code

CAS RN

Mol.

weight mp/°C

Methyl ester

mp/°C bp/°C

Butanoic acid

Butyric acid

C

4

H

8

O

2

4:0

107-92-6

88.106   –5.1 –85.8

102.8

Pentanoic acid

Valeric acid

C

5

H

10

O

2

5:0

109-52-4

102.132 –33.6

127.4

3-Methylbutanoic acid

Isovaleric acid

C

5

H

10

O

2

4:0 3-Me

503-74-2

102.132 –29.3

116.5

Hexanoic acid

Caproic acid

C

6

H

12

O

2

6:0

142-62-1

116.158   –3

–71

149.5

Heptanoic acid

Enanthic acid

C

7

H

14

O

2

7:0

111-14-8

130.185   –7.2 –56

174

Octanoic acid

Caprylic acid

C

8

H

16

O

2

8:0

124-07-2

144.212   16.5 –40

192.9

Nonanoic acid

Pelargonic acid

C

9

H

18

O

2

9:0

112-05-0

158.238   12.4

213.5

Decanoic acid

Capric acid

C

10

H

20

O

2

10:0

334-48-5

172.265   31.4 –18

224

9-Decenoic acid

Caproleic acid

C

10

H

18

O

2

10:1 9e

14436-32-9 170.249   26.5

120

20

Undecanoic acid

C

11

H

22

O

2

11:0

112-37-8

186.292   28.6

123

10

Dodecanoic acid

Lauric acid

C

12

H

24

O

2

12:0

143-07-7

200.318   43.8     5.2

267

cis-9-Dodecenoic acid

Lauroleic acid

C

12

H

22

O

2

12:1 9c

2382-40-3

198.302

Tridecanoic acid

C

13

H

26

O

2

13:0

638-53-9

214.344   41.5     6.5

  92

1

Tetradecanoic acid

Myristic acid

C

14

H

28

O

2

14:0

544-63-8

228.371   54.2   19

295

cis-9-Tetradecenoic acid

Myristoleic acid

C

14

H

26

O

2

14:1 9c

13147-06-3 226.355   –4

Pentadecanoic acid

C

15

H

30

O

2

15:0

1002-84-2

242.398   52.3   18.5

153.5

Hexadecanoic acid

Palmitic acid

C

16

H

32

O

2

16:0

57-10-3

256.424   62.5   30

417

cis-9-Hexadecenoic acid

Palmitoleic acid

C

16

H

30

O

2

16:1 9c

373-49-9

254.408     0.5

140

5

Heptadecanoic acid

Margaric acid

C

17

H

34

O

2

17:0

506-12-7

270.451   61.3   30

185

9

Octadecanoic acid

Stearic acid

C

18

H

36

O

2

18:0

57-11-4

284.478   69.3   39.1

443

cis-6-Octadecenoic acid

Petroselinic acid

C

18

H

34

O

2

18:1 6c

593-39-5

282.462   29.8

cis-9-Octadecenoic acid

Oleic acid

C

18

H

34

O

2

18:1 9c

112-80-1

282 .462   13 .4 –19 .9 218 .5

20

trans-9-Octadecenoic acid

Elaidic acid

C

18

H

34

O

2

18:1 9t

112-79-8

282 .462   45

  13 .5 218

24

cis-11-Octadecenoic acid

cis-Vaccenic acid

C

18

H

34

O

2

18:1 11c

506-17-2

282.462   15

163

0.1

trans-11-Octadecenoic acid

Vaccenic acid

C

18

H

34

O

2

18:1 11t

693-72-1

282.462   44

172

3

cis-12,13-Epoxy-cis-9-octadecenoic acid

Vernolic acid

C

18

H

32

O

3

18:1 12,13-ep,9c

503-07-1

296.445   32.5

12-Hydroxy-cis-9-octadecenoic acid

Ricinoleic acid

C

18

H

34

O

3

18:1 12-OH,9c

141-22-0

298.461     5.5

226

15

cis,trans-9,11-Octadecadienoic acid

Rumenic (CLA)

C

18

H

32

O

2

18:2 9c,11t

1839-11-8 280 .446   20

cis,cis-9,12-Octadecadienoic acid

Linoleic acid

C

18

H

32

O

2

18:2 9c,12c

60-33-3

280.446   –7

–35

215

20

7-7

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Systematic name

Common name

Mol.

form.

Acid code

CAS RN

Mol.

weight mp/°C

Methyl ester

mp/°C bp/°C

trans,cis-10,12-Octadecadienoic acid

(CLA)

C

18

H

32

O

2

18:2 10t,12c

22880-03-1 280.446   23

–12

cis-9-Octadecen-12-ynoic acid

Crepenynic acid

C

18

H

30

O

2

18:2 9c,12a

2277-31-8

278.430

cis,cis,cis-5,9,12-Octadecatrienoic acid

Pinolenic acid

C

18

H

30

O

2

18:3 5c,9c,12c

27213-43-0 278.430

trans,cis,cis-5,9,12-Octadecatrienoic acid

Columbinic acid

C

18

H

30

O

2

18:3 5t,9c,12c

2441-53-4

278.430

cis,cis,cis-6,9,12-Octadecatrienoic acid

g

-Linolenic acid

C

18

H

30

O

2

18:3 6c,9c,12c

506-26-3

278.430

162

0.5

trans,trans,cis-8,10,12-Octadecatrienoic acid Calendic acid

C

18

H

30

O

2

18:3 8t,10t,12c

28872-28-8 278.430   40

cis,trans,cis-9,11,13-Octadecatrienoic acid

Punicic acid

C

18

H

30

O

2

18:3 9c,11t,13c

544-72-9

278.430   45

cis,trans,trans-9,11,13-Octadecatrienoic acid

α

-Eleostearic acid C

18

H

30

O

2

18:3 9c,11t,13t

506-23-0

278.430   49

148

1

trans,trans,cis-9,11,13-Octadecatrienoic

acid

Catalpic acid

C

18

H

30

O

2

18:3 9t,11t,13c

4337-71-7 278 .430   32

trans,trans,trans-9,11,13-Octadecatrienoic 

acid

β-Eleostearic acid

C

18

H

30

O

2

18:3 9t,11t,13t

544-73-0

278.430   71.5   13

162

1

cis,cis,cis-9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acid

α

-Linolenic acid

C

18

H

30

O

2

18:3 9c,12c,15c

463-40-1

278.430 –11.3 –52

109

0.018

6,9,12,15-Octadecatetraenoic acid, all cis

Stearidonic acid

C

18

H

28

O

2

18:4 6c,9c,12c,15c

20290-75-9 276.414 –57

cis,trans,trans,cis-9,11,13,15-

Octadecatetraenoic acid

Parinaric acid

C

18

H

28

O

2

18:4 9c,11t,13t,15c

593-38-4

276.414   86

Nonadecanoic acid

C

19

H

38

O

2

19:0

646-30-0

298 .504   69 .4   41 .3 190

4

Eicosanoic acid

Arachidic acid

C

20

H

40

O

2

20:0

506-30-9

312 .531   76 .5   54 .5 215

10

3,7,11,15-Tetramethylhexadecanoic acid

Phytanic acid

C

20

H

40

O

2

16:0 3,7,11,15-

tetramethyl

14721-66-5 312 .531 –65

cis-5-Eicosenoic acid

C

20

H

38

O

2

20:1 5c

7050-07-9

310.515   27

cis-9-Eicosenoic acid

Gadoleic acid

C

20

H

38

O

2

20:1 9c

29204-02-2 310.515   24.5

cis-11-Eicosenoic acid

Gondoic acid

C

20

H

38

O

2

20:1 11c

2462-94-4

310.515   24

cis,cis,cis-8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic acid

Dihomo-

g

-linolenic 

acid

C

20

H

34

O

2

20:3 8c,11c,14c

1783-84-2

5,8,11,14-Eicosatetraenoic acid, all cis

Arachidonic acid

C

20

H

32

O

2

20:4 5c,8c,11c,14c

506-32-1

304.467 –49.5

195

0.7

5,8,11,14,17-Eicosapentanaenoic acid, all cis Timnodonic acid, 

EPA

C

20

H

30

O

2

20:5 5c,8c,11c,14c,17c 10417-94-4 302.451 –54

Heneicosanoic acid

C

21

H

42

O

2

21:0

2363-71-5 326 .557   82

  49

207

4

Docosanoic acid

Behenic acid

C

22

H

44

O

2

22:0

112-85-6

340.583   81.5   54

cis-11-Docosenoic acid

Cetolic acid

C

22

H

42

O

2

22:1 11c

506-36-5

338.567   33

cis-13-Docosenoic acid

Erucic acid

C

22

H

42

O

2

22:1 13c

112-86-7

338.567   34.7

221

5

trans-13-Docosenoic acid

Brassidic acid

C

22

H

42

O

2

22:1 13t

506-33-2

338.567   61.9   35

cis,cis-5,13-Docosadienoic acid

C

22

H

40

O

2

22:2 5c,13c

676-39-1

336.552   –4

7,10,13,16,19-Docosapentaenoic acid, all cis

C

22

H

34

O

2

22:5 7c,10c,13c,16c,

19c

4,7,10,13,16,19-Docosahexaenoic acid, all cis Cervonic acid, 

DHA

C

22

H

32

O

2

22:6 4c,7c,10c,13c, 

16c,19c

2091-24-9

–45

Tricosanoic acid

C

23

H

46

O

2

23:0

2433-96-7

  79.6   53.4

Tetracosanoic acid

Lignoceric acid

C

24

H

48

O

2

24:0

557-59-5

368.637   87.5   60

cis-15-Tetracosenoic acid

Nervonic acid

C

24

H

46

O

2

24:1 15c

506-37-6

366 .621   43

  15

165

0 .02

Pentacosanoic acid

C

25

H

50

O

2

25:0

506-38-7

382.664   77.5   62

Hexacosanoic acid

Cerotic acid

C

26

H

52

O

2

26:0

506-46-7

396 .690   88 .5   63 .8 286

15

Heptacosanoic acid

C

27

H

54

O

2

27:0

7138-40-1

  87.6   64

Octacosanoic acid

Montanic acid

C

28

H

56

O

2

28:0

506-48-9

424.744   90.9   67

Nonacosanoic acid

C

29

H

58

O

2

29:0

4250-38-8

438.770   90.3   69

Triacontanoic acid

Melissic acid

C

30

H

60

O

2

30:0

506-50-3

452.796   93.6   72

Hentriacontanoic acid

C

31

H

62

O

2

31:0

38232-01-8 466.823   93.1

Dotriacontanoic acid

Lacceric acid

C

32

H

64

O

2

32:0

3625-52-3

480.849   96.2

192

0 .01

7-8

Properties of fatty Acids and their methyl esters

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