Linoleic acid
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- Jiang, J. Conjugated linoleic acid, 1998(Linoleic acid)
- Grant & Hackh's chem. dict., 1987:p. 339 (linoleic acid; linolic acid; an important dietary fatty acid)
- Web. 3:p. 1317 (linoleic acid; a liquid unsaturated fatty acid; one of the fatty acids essential in human nutrition)
- MESH(Linoleic Acid; Linoleate; 9,12-Octadecadienoic Acid)
- LC database, July 24, 1998(Linoleic acid)
Linoleic acid (LA) is an organic compound with the formula HOOC(CH2)7CH=CHCH2CH=CH(CH2)4CH3. Both alkene groups (−CH=CH−) are cis. It is a fatty acid sometimes denoted 18:2 (n−6) or 18:2 cis-9,12. A linoleate is a salt or ester of this acid. Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated, omega−6 fatty acid. It is a colorless liquid that is virtually insoluble in water but soluble in many organic solvents. It typically occurs in nature as a triglyceride (ester of glycerin) rather than as a free fatty acid. It is one of two essential fatty acids for humans, who must obtain it through their diet, and the most essential, because the body uses it as a base to make the others. The word "linoleic" derives from Latin linum 'flax' and oleum 'oil', reflecting the fact that it was first isolated from linseed oil.
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