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Myristic acid[1]
IUPAC name tetradecanoic acid
other names C14:0 (Lipid numbers)
Identifiers
CAS number	544-63-8 Y
PubChem	11005
SMILES	CCCCCCCCCCCCCC(=O)O
Properties
Molecular formula	C14H28O2
Molar mass	228.37092
Density	0.8622 g/cm3
Melting point	54.4 °C[2]
Boiling point	250.5 °C at 100 mmHg
Y (what is this?)  (verify) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Myristic acid, also called tetradecanoic acid or 14:0 is a common saturated fatty acid with the molecular formula CH₃(CH₂)₁₂COOH. A myristate is a salt or ester of myristic acid.

Myristic acid is named after the nutmeg Myristica fragrans. Nutmeg butter is 75% trimyristin, the triglyceride of myristic acid. Besides nutmeg, myristic acid is also found in palm oil, coconut oil, butter fat and is a minor component of many other animal fats.^[2] It is also found in spermacetin, the crystallized fraction of oil from the sperm whale.

Myristic acid is also commonly added co-translationally to the penultimate, nitrogen-terminus, glycine in receptor-associated kinases to confer the membrane localisation of the enzyme. The myristic acid has a sufficiently high hydrophobicity to become incorporated into the fatty acyl core of the phospholipid bilayer of the plasma membrane of the eukaryotic cell. In this way, myristic acid acts as a lipid anchor in biomembranes.

The ester isopropyl myristate is used in cosmetic and topical medicinal preparations where good absorption through the skin is desired.

Reduction of myristic acid yields myristyl aldehyde and myristyl alcohol.

References

1. ^ Merck Index, 11th Edition, 6246
2. ^ ^{a b} "Lexicon of lipid nutrition (IUPAC Technical Report)". Pure and Applied Chemistry 73 (4): 685–744. 2001. doi:10.1351/pac200173040685. http://iupac.org/publications/pac/73/4/0685/.