Chemical reactions at lipid‐gas interfaces: I. Terminal chain elongation of fatty acids

Abstract
Reactions of free methyl radicals and monolayers of potassium palmitate and of potassiumn‐heptadecanoate on an aqueous surface yielded straight chain saturated fatty acids containing longer hydrocarbon chains than those of the reactant acids. Similar results were obtained from the reactions of free ethyl radicals and potassium palmitate under similar conditions. The results of this investigation indicate that extension of hydrocarbon chains by free radical addition reactions can be achieved if the growing chains are suitably packed in a monolayer on a surface.