Palmitic acid (hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature) is a fatty acid with a 16-carbon chain. It is the most common saturated fatty acid found in animals, plants and microorganisms. Its chemical formula is CH₃(CH₂)₁₄COOH, and its C:D (the total number of carbon atoms to the number of carbon–carbon double bonds) is 16:0. It is a major component of the oil from the fruit of oil palms (palm oil), making up to 44% of total fats. Meats, cheeses, butter, and other dairy products also contain palmitic acid, amounting to 50–60% of total fats. Palmitates are the salts and esters of palmitic acid. The palmitate anion is the observed form of palmitic acid at physiologic pH (7.4).

Palmitic acid

Names
Preferred IUPAC name Hexadecanoic acid
Other names Palmitic acid C16:0 (Lipid numbers)
Identifiers
CAS Number	57-10-3 Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChEMBL	ChEMBL82293 N
ChemSpider	960 N
ECHA InfoCard	100.000.284
IUPHAR/BPS	1055
PubChem CID	985
UNII	2V16EO95H1 Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID2021602
InChI InChI=1S/C16H32O2/c1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16(17)18/h2-15H2,1H3,(H,17,18) N Key: IPCSVZSSVZVIGE-UHFFFAOYSA-N N InChI=1/C16H32O2/c1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16(17)18/h2-15H2,1H3,(H,17,18) Key: IPCSVZSSVZVIGE-UHFFFAOYAJ
SMILES CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC(=O)O
Properties
Chemical formula	C16H32O2
Molar mass	256.430 g/mol
Appearance	White crystals
Density	0.852 g/cm3 (25 °C) 0.8527 g/cm3 (62 °C)
Melting point	62.9 °C (145.2 °F; 336.0 K)
Boiling point	351–352 °C (664–666 °F; 624–625 K) 271.5 °C (520.7 °F; 544.6 K), 100 mmHg 215 °C (419 °F; 488 K), 15 mmHg
Solubility in water	4.6 mg/L (0 °C) 7.2 mg/L (20 °C) 8.3 mg/L (30 °C) 10 mg/L (45 °C) 12 mg/L (60 °C)
Solubility	Soluble in amyl acetate, alcohol, CCl4, C6H6 Very soluble in CHCl3
Solubility in ethanol	2 g/100 mL (0 °C) 2.8 g/100 mL (10 °C) 9.2 g/100 mL (20 °C) 31.9 g/100 mL (40 °C)
Solubility in methyl acetate	7.81 g/100 g
Solubility in ethyl acetate	10.7 g/100 g
Vapor pressure	0.051 mPa (25 °C) 1.08 kPa (200 °C) 28.06 kPa (300 °C)
Acidity (pKa)	4.75
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	−198.6·10−6 cm3/mol
Refractive index (nD)	1.43 (70 °C)
Viscosity	7.8 cP (70 °C)
Thermochemistry
Heat capacity (C)	463.36 J/(mol·K)
Std molar entropy (S⦵298)	452.37 J/(mol·K)
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298)	−892 kJ/mol
Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298)	10030.6 kJ/mol
Hazards
GHS labelling:
Pictograms
Signal word	Warning
Hazard statements	H319
Precautionary statements	P305+P351+P338
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)	1 1 0
Flash point	206 °C (403 °F; 479 K)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). N verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references