Chapter #28: Fatty Acid Synthesis

Question 1

What is the structure and naming of fatty acids?

Answer 1

Long hydrocarbon chains with carboxylic acid groups. They can have various lengths and degrees of unsaturation (double bonds).
The systematic name of the fatty acid is derived from the name of the parent hydrocarbon, in which the final e is removed and replaced with oic: C18 octadecane becomes octadecanoic acid)

The number of total carbons is followed by a colon, and then the number of double bonds is indicated (18:3 = 18 carbons, 3 double bonds - octadecatrienoic acid).

The numbering of the carbon atoms starts at the carboxyl terminus.

The position of double bonds is indicated by a delta and a superscript number to indicate the number of the first carbon in the bond.

Carbons 2 and 3 are often referred to as alpha and beta, and the distal carbon is (omega), the last letter of the Greek alphabet (numbering can also start from the omega carbon, but is indicated as such (omega-3 fatty acids).