By Staff Writer Last Updated Mar 25, 2020 1:32:45 AM ET. Raphaël Quinet/CC-BY-2.0. Coconut oil, on the other hand, makes big, fluffy bubbles and a hard bar of soap, but it can be drying to the skin. The chemical formula of soap: RCOO – Na + , where R denotes any long-chain alkyl group containing 12 to 18 carbon atoms. Soap is a chemical compound resulting from the reaction of an alkali (commonly sodium or potassium hydroxide) with a fatty acid.Soaps are the metallic salts of long chain fatty acids. The chemical makeup of each different oil has an effect on the finished bar of soap. Today, the process of making soap most commonly involves reacting an organic acid with an alkaline chemical like potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide.Industrially, the caustic soda base used most often is sodium hydroxide, which is also called lye. For example, olive oil makes a very hard bar of soap, with bubbles that are small and slick. The main difference between potassium and sodium soaps is consistency — usually, potassium makes a softer, more water-soluble soap than sodium. What Is The Chemical Name Of Soap Soaps are sodium and potassium salts of long-chain fatty acids containing 12 to 18 carbon atoms. One of the commonest compounds in soap … One original formula for soap is C₁₇H₃₅COONa, or sodium stearate, which would usually consist of wood ashes and animal fat. "Soap" is a chemical category rather than the name of a particular chemical compound and therefore does not have a unique chemical name. When mixed with water during bathing or washing, they help people and clothes get clean by lowering the chance of dirt and oil to get to the skin or fabric.Soaps are made from animal fats or vegetable oils. What Is the Chemical Formula for Soap?