SHEET /vs/oleic-acid-vs-linoleic-acid · COMPARISON
Oleic acid vs Linoleic acid: what is the difference?
How they differ
Both are eighteen-carbon fatty acids and the difference is one double bond, C18H34O2 against C18H32O2. Oleic acid has a single cis double bond and is monounsaturated; linoleic acid has two and is the parent of the omega-6 family. That second bond makes linoleic acid more prone to oxidation, which is why sunflower and corn oil go rancid faster than olive oil and why olive oil keeps longer on a shelf and holds up to moderate heat. Linoleic acid is essential: the human body cannot introduce a double bond that far along the chain, so it must come from food, while oleic acid the body makes for itself. Oleic acid is most of olive oil and is why it stays liquid in a fridge where butter does not.
Side by side
| Oleic acid | Linoleic acid | |
|---|---|---|
| Formula | C18H34O2 | C18H32O2 |
| Molecular weight | 282.5 g/mol | 280.4 g/mol |
| Family | Fatty acids | Fatty acids |
| Everyday group | Nutrient | Nutrient |
| Functional groups | Carboxylic Acids | Carboxylic Acids |
| GHS signal wordThe supplier-filed hazard label, not a statement about ordinary use. | Warning | Warning |
| LD50A single acute animal measure. It ranks nothing about human safety. | 74,000 mg/kg (oral, rat) | 280 mg/kg (other, mouse) |
| Found in | Chocolate, Cocoa, Red meat, Nuts | Nuts |
| CAS number | 112-80-1 | 60-33-3 |
| PubChem CID | 445639 | 5280450 |
Structural similarity 0.88 of 1, computed as a Morgan fingerprint Tanimoto coefficient. It measures shape, not effect.
Common questions
- What is the difference between Oleic acid and Linoleic acid?
- Both are eighteen-carbon fatty acids and the difference is one double bond, C18H34O2 against C18H32O2. Oleic acid has a single cis double bond and is monounsaturated; linoleic acid has two and is the parent of the omega-6 family. That second bond makes linoleic acid more prone to oxidation, which is why sunflower and corn oil go rancid faster than olive oil and why olive oil keeps longer on a shelf and holds up to moderate heat.
- Is Oleic acid bigger than Linoleic acid?
- Oleic acid is the heavier molecule, 282.5 g/mol against 280.4 g/mol for Linoleic acid. Oleic acid is C18H34O2 and Linoleic acid is C18H32O2.
Read the full records: Oleic acid and Linoleic acid.