Chapter 23, Problem 23.41QP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The products formed when $\text{14-phenyltetradecanoic acid}$ is degraded by β-oxidation have to be determined.

Concept Introduction:

$\text{β-oxidation}$ is essentially the process of degradation of fatty acid into two-carbon acetyl-CoA. In each cycle of $\text{β-oxidation}$ one fatty acid is converted to acetyl CoA and an acyl derivative of fatty acid with two carbon atoms lesser than the initial fatty acid.

The product formed in $\text{β-oxidation}$ of $\text{ω-phenyl-labeled carboxylic acid}$ that consists of even number of carbon atoms includes phenylacetate and acetate as the products, while the corresponding derivatives of acid that contain odd number of carbon atoms afford benzoate and acetate as products.