Ethyl erucate (CAS 37910-77-3)

Ethyl erucate, with the CAS number 37910-77-3, is an ester formed from the condensation of ethanol and erucic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid predominantly found in oils from the Brassica family of plants, such as rapeseed. This chemical is characterized by its long hydrocarbon chain terminated with an ethyl ester group, which contributes to its lipid-like properties including hydrophobicity and stability. Ethyl erucate is primarily utilized in research fields for its physicochemical properties which are similar to those of natural lipids, making it a valuable component in the study of lipid membranes and lipid-based delivery systems. Its incorporation into lipid bilayers can be used to investigate the effects of chain length and saturation on membrane fluidity and permeability. In research settings, ethyl erucate serves as a model compound to understand the behavior of fatty acid esters in various industrial and biochemical processes. Its utility extends to material science and bioengineering, where it is used in the formulation of biodegradable plastics and biofuels due to its renewable origins and favorable chemical attributes. Moreover, the study of ethyl erucate′s interactions with other biochemicals helps in elucidating the mechanisms of lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions in more complex biological systems.