The main fatty acid component of the triacylglycerols in coconut oil is lauric acid,${\mathbf{CH}}_{\mathbf{3}}{\left({\mathrm{CH}}_2\right)}_{\mathbf{10}}\mathbf{COOH}$ . Explain why coconut oil is a liquid at room temperature even though it contains a large fraction of this saturated fatty acid.

There are numerous kinds of fatty acids, and one among them issaturated fatty acid.These acids do not comprise a carbon-carbon double bond. An example of a saturated fatty acid is lauric acid.

Another name for lauric acid is dodecanoic acid. It comprises several salts and esters referred to as laurates. It is a part of triglycerides, and fifty percent of fatty-acid content in oils like coconut oil and laurel oil is due to lauric acid.

Coconut oil comprises of 86% saturated fatty acid and 7% oleic acid.

The saturated fatty acid is a part of the triacylglycerol, lauric acid. The condensed formula of lauric acid is ${\mathrm{CH}}_3{\left({\mathrm{CH}}_2\right)}_{10}\mathrm{COOH}$. The structure of lauric acid can be given as:

Structure of lauric acid

It comprises of 12 carbon atoms with no double bonds. The melting point of lauric acid is$44°\mathrm{C}$.

The condensed formula of oleic acid is${\mathrm{CH}}_3{\left({\mathrm{CH}}_2\right)}_7\mathrm{CH}=\mathrm{CH}{\left({\mathrm{CH}}_2\right)}_7\mathrm{COOH}$. It is an unsaturated fatty acid comprising of 18 carbon atoms with no double bond. The melting point of oleic acid is$4°\mathrm{C}$.

Since coconut oil comprises saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, it is usually at its liquid form at room temperature.