Chapter 10.6, Problem 11P

Linolenic acid(Table 10.2) and stearidonic acid are omega-3 fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids that contain the first double bond located at C3, when numbering begins at the methyl end of the chain. Predict how the melting point of stearidonic acid compares with the melting points of linolenic acid and stearic acids. A current avenue of research is examining the use of soybean oil enriched in stearidonic acid as a healthier alternative to vegetable oils that contain fewer degrees of unsaturation.