Page 58 - Color Atlas of Biochemistry

Lipids 49

A. Carboxylic acids

Name Number of carbons
Number of double bonds
Position of double bonds

Formic acid 1 : 0
Not contained
Acetic acid 2 : 0 in lipids
Propionic acid 3 : 0
Butyric acid 4 : 0
Valerianic acid 5 : 0
Caproic acid 6 : 0 HOOC CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 3
Caprylic acid 8 : 0 Caproic acid
Capric acid 10 : 0
Lauric acid 12 : 0
Myristic acid 14 : 0
Palmitic acid 16 : 0
Stearic acid 18 : 0
Oleic acid 18 : 1; 9
Linoleic acid 18 : 2; 9,12
Linolenic acid 18 : 3; 9,12,15
Arachidic acid 20 : 0
Arachidonic acid 20 : 4; 5,8,11,14
Behenic acid 22 : 0
Erucic acid 22 : 1; 13
Lignoceric acid 24 : 0
Nervonic acid 24 : 1; 15

Essential in human nutrition

B. Structure of fats

Ester bonding Chiral center sn number

O O O
C-1
HO CH 2 R' C O CH 2 R' C O CH 2 R' C O CH 2
O O
HO C H HO C H R'' C O C H R'' C O C H C-2
O
HO CH 2 HO CH 2 HO CH 2 R''' C O CH 2 C-3

Glycerol Monoacylglycerol Diacylglycerol Triacylglycerol = Fat
Fatty acids Glycerol

Acyl residue

Van der Waals Acyl residue
model
of tristearylglycerol Acyl residue

Rotatable
around C–C bond

Koolman, Color Atlas of Biochemistry, 2nd edition © 2005 Thieme
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