Capric acid
saturated fatty acid
Capric acid, also known as decanoic acid or decylic acid, is a saturated fatty acid, medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA), and carboxylic acid. Its formula is CH3(CH2)8COOH. Salts and esters of decanoic acid are called caprates or decanoates. The term capric acid is derived from the Latin "caper / capra" (goat) because the sweaty, unpleasant smell of the compound is reminiscent of goats.
Occurrence
Capric acid occurs naturally in coconut oil (about 10%) and palm kernel oil (about 4%), otherwise it is uncommon in typical seed oils. It is found in the milk of various mammals and to a lesser extent in other animal fats, as discovered by Michel Eugène Chevreul in 1823.
Two other acids are named after goats: caproic acid (a C6:0 fatty acid) and caprylic acid (a C8:0 fatty acid). Along with capric acid, these total 15% in goat milk fat.
Production
Capric acid can be prepared from oxidation of the primary alcohol decanol by using chromium trioxide (CrO3) oxidant under acidic conditions.
Neutralization of capric acid or saponification of its triglyceride esters with sodium hydroxide yields sodium caprate, CH3(CH2)8CO−2Na+. This salt is a component of some types of soap.
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This entry incorporates text from “Capric acid” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.