Characterization of Olefinic Double Bonds in Linear Unsaturated Fatty Acids Using Fluorine Magnetic Resonance Spectrometry

¹⁹F NMR can be employed generally on stereospecific hexa-fluoroacetone derivatives of linear unsaturated fatty acid esters to yield the position and geometry of the original carboncarbon double bond. Complications arise in derivative formation when the double bond is in the number two position, and NMR alone is not sufficient for positional characterization when the double bond is near the center of an acid with a chain length greater than 16 carbons.