Cyclopropane fatty acid

[1] Although they are usually rare, the seed oil from lychee contains nearly 40% CPAs in the form of triglycerides.

CPAs are derived from unsaturated fatty acids by cyclopropanation.

The methylene donor is a methyl group on S-adenosylmethionine (SAM).

[3] The mechanism is proposed to involve transfer of a CH3+ group from SAM to the alkene, followed by deprotonation of the newly attached methyl group and ring closure.

The cyclopropene ring is destroyed during refining and hydrogenation of the oils.

Examples of mycolic acids , a class of mono- and dicyclopropane fatty acids found in the cell wall of the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis
malvalic acid , a cyclopropene fatty acid