What is the Difference Between Oleic Acid and Elaidic Acid?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Oleic acid and elaidic acid are both organic compounds containing carboxylic acid groups at the end of a carbon chain. They are unsaturated fatty acids with a double bond at the middle of the carbon chain, specifically at the 9th carbon position. The key difference between oleic acid and elaidic acid is found in the geometry of their double bonds.
Oleic acid has a cis (or Z) configuration, meaning the hydrogen atoms on both sides of the double bond are on the same side. This results in a kink or bend in the hydrocarbon chain. On the other hand, elaidic acid has a trans (or E) configuration, where the hydrogen atoms on both sides of the double bond are on opposite sides. This leads to elaidic acid having a more linear structure compared to oleic acid.
The different configurations affect the physical properties of the acids:
- Phase: Oleic acid occurs in the liquid phase, while elaidic acid occurs in the solid form.
- Melting Point: Elaidic acid has a higher melting point than oleic acid due to its more linear structure, which allows the carbon chains to pack together more tightly.
Both oleic acid and elaidic acid are found in various food sources, with elaidic acid being present in small amounts in milk fat (about 10% of bovine octadecenoic acids). Oleic acid is a common component in many vegetable oils and animal fats.
Comparative Table: Oleic Acid vs Elaidic Acid
Oleic acid and elaidic acid are organic compounds, both are acidic compounds containing carboxylic acid groups at the end of a carbon chain. They are unsaturated fatty acids because they have a double bond at the middle of the carbon chain. The main difference between these two compounds is their physical state and configuration at the double bond. Here is a comparison table of the differences between oleic acid and elaidic acid:
Property | Oleic Acid | Elaidic Acid |
---|---|---|
State of Matter | Liquid Phase | Solid Form |
Configuation | Cis Isomer | Trans Isomer |
Fatty Acid Type | Monounsaturated | Unsaturated |
Carboxylic Acid Type | Octadec-9-enoic acid | Octadecenoic acid |
Double Bond Location | At C-9 with Cis Configuration | At C-9 with Trans Configuration |
Physical Appearance | Odorless, Colorless (or yellowish in commercial samples) Oil | Solid |
Origin | Occurs naturally in various animal and vegetable fats and oils | Present in only small quantities in nature |
Health Effects | This compound is known to be helpful in increasing the plasma cholesterylester transfer protein and is important in lowering HDL cholesterol | The trans isomer of oleic acid, elaidic acid appears to have an adverse effect on health |
- Stearic Acid vs Oleic Acid
- Palmitic Acid vs Palmitoleic Acid
- Linoleic Acid vs Linolenic Acid
- Oleum vs Sulfuric Acid
- Palmitic Acid vs Stearic Acid
- Lauric Acid vs Caprylic Acid
- Arachidic Acid vs Arachidonic Acid
- Alpha Lipoic Acid vs Alpha Linolenic Acid
- Linoleic Acid vs Conjugated Linoleic Acid
- Ethanoic Acid vs Propanoic Acid
- Oxalic Acid vs Acetic Acid
- Lipoic Acid vs Alpha Lipoic Acid
- Ethanol vs Ethanoic Acid
- Myristic vs Stearic Acid
- Acyl vs Acetyl
- Oxalic Acid vs Citric Acid
- Maleic Acid vs Fumaric Acid
- Aliphatic vs Aromatic Carboxylic Acid
- Acyl vs Alkyl