Heptadecanoic acid
Encyclopedia
Heptadecanoic acid, or margaric acid, is a saturated fatty acid
. Its molecular formula is CH3(CH2)15COOH. It occurs as a trace component of the fat and milkfat of ruminants, but it does not occur in any natural animal or vegetable fat at concentrations over half a percent. Salts and ester
s of heptadecanoic acid are called heptadecanoates.
Fatty acid
In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with a long unbranched aliphatic tail , which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have a chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. Fatty acids are usually derived from...
. Its molecular formula is CH3(CH2)15COOH. It occurs as a trace component of the fat and milkfat of ruminants, but it does not occur in any natural animal or vegetable fat at concentrations over half a percent. Salts and ester
Ester
Esters are chemical compounds derived by reacting an oxoacid with a hydroxyl compound such as an alcohol or phenol. Esters are usually derived from an inorganic acid or organic acid in which at least one -OH group is replaced by an -O-alkyl group, and most commonly from carboxylic acids and...
s of heptadecanoic acid are called heptadecanoates.