An essential fatty acid. Major constituent of many vegetable oils, e.g., cottonseed, soybean, peanut, corn, sunflower seed, safflower, poppy seed, linseed, and perilla oils, where it occurs as a glyceride. Characteristic ingredient of semi-drying oils. Isoln: Swern, Parker, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 30, 5 (1953); Parker et al., Biochem. Prep. 4, 86 (1955); McCutcheon, Org. Synth. coll. vol. III, 526 (1955). Summary of work on structure: T. P. Hilditch, The Chemical Constitution of Natural Fats (Chapman & Hall, London, 2nd ed. 1956). Synthesis: Raphael, Sondheimer, J. Chem. Soc. 1950, 2102; Gensler, Thomas, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 73, 4601 (1951); Walborsky et al., ibid. 2590; Nigam, Weedon, J. Chem. Soc. 1956, 4052; Osbond, Wickens, Chem. Ind. (London) 1959, 1288. Review of physiological role in mammals: H. S. Hansen, Trends Biochem. Sci. 11, 263 (1986).
Nutrient (essential fatty acid).