THE NORMAL C17 FATTY ACIDS OF MUSK-OX FAT

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Abstract
A sample of body fat of the Canadian musk ox (Ovibos moschatus subsp.) was converted to methyl esters and distilled. The fraction containing esters of C17 acids was crystallized fractionally at low temperature and two straight-chain C17 acids were isolated. n-Heptadecanoic acid was identified by analysis, by mixed melting point of the acid and two derivatives with authentic samples, and by its X-ray diffraction pattern. 9-Heptadecenoic acid was identified by analysis, by mixed melting point of two derivatives with authentic samples, and by oxidative. cleavage. It is estimated that the fat contained 1.7% of n-heptadecanoic acid and 0.9% of cis-9-heptadecenoic acid, based on the total fatty acids. Although there was an appreciable content of trans acids in the fat, the heptadecenoic acid was found to contain little or none of the trans form.