Characterization of unsaturated fatty acids by gas‐liquid chromatography

Abstract

AbstractThe equivalent chain length (ECL) has been determined on 79 methyl esters of unsaturated fatty acids and on 7 ethyl esters by gas chromatography. Ethylene glycol succinate (EGS), diethylene glycol succinate, ॆ‐cyclodextrin acetate and Apiezon L were chosen as the liquid phases to be used. For methyl esters of mono‐ and polyenoic acids, the differences between ECL on EGS and ECL on Apiezon L approximate 0.84 per double bond. For positional isomers, the ECL on both EGS and Apiezon L are usually greater for the isomer having the longer proximal end of the molecule (smallest ३ value). In these terms a triple bond is approximately equal to three double bonds. Esters of nonconjugated dienoic and trienoic acids of the same chain length are not separable on Apiezon L if their proximal structures are the same. This also applies to tetraenoic and pentaenoic acids of the same chain length and the same proximal structure. Conjugation of double bonds, either with the ester carbonyl group or with themselves, yields ECL values on Apiezon L greater than the number of carbon atoms in the acid. Monounsaturated and nonconjugated polyunsaturated esters have ECL values on Apiezon L lower than the number of carbon atoms of the acid. The ECL values of ethyl esters of 18 and 20 carbon acids are greater than the corresponding methyl esters on Apiezon L.