C13H34O2 OLEIC

ACID  or C8H07•CH: CH . [CH2]7 • CO2 H, an organic acid occurring as a glyceride, triolein, in nearly all fats, and in many oils--olive, almond, cod-liver, &c . (see OILS) . It appears as a by-product in the manufacture of candles . To prepare it olive oil is saponified with potash, and lead acetate added; the lead salts are separated, dried, and extracted with ether, which dissolves the lead oleate; the solution is then treated with hydrochloric acid, the lead chloride filtered off, the liquid concentrated, and finally distilled under diminished pressure . Oleic acid is a colourless, odourless solid, melting at 14° and boiling at 223° (10 mm.) . On exposure it turns yellow, becoming rancid . Nitric acid oxidizes it to all the fatty acids from acetic to capric . Nitrous acid gives the isomeric elaidic acid, C8H,7•CH:CH•(CH2]7 •CO2H, which is crystalline and melts at 51° . Hydriodic acid reduces both oleic and elaidic acids to stearic acid . Erucic acid, C8HwCH:CH•[CH2]n•CO2H, and the isomeric brassidic acid, belong to the oleic acid series . They occur as glycerides in rape-seed oil, in the fatty oil of mustard, and in the oil of grape seeds .

Linoleic acid, C18H32O2, found as glyceride in drying oils, and ricinoleic acid, C18H33(OH)O2, found as glyceride in

castor oil, closely resemble oleic acid .