Oleic acid

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Oleic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid found in various animal and vegetable sources. It has the formula C₁₈H₃₄O₂ (or CH₃(CH₂)₇CH=CH(CH₂)₇COOH). The saturated form of this acid is stearic acid.

Oleic acid makes up 55-80% of olive oil, though there may be only 0.5-2.5% or so as actual free acid, and 15-20% of grape seed oil and sea buckthorn oil. The Brazilian palmberry, açaí, contains one of the highest contents known for oleic acid in the pulp of a fruit (56%).

Reduction of oleic acid at the carboxyl end yields oleyl alcohol.

Oleic acid is emitted by the decaying corpses of a number of insects, including bees and Pogonomyrmex ants and triggers the instincts of living workers to remove the dead bodies from the hive. If a live bee or ant is daubed with oleic acid, it is dragged off as if it were dead.

References

External links

• NIST Chemistry Webbook

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Last updated on Wednesday March 12, 2008 at 18:42:23 PDT (GMT -0700)
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