Triglycerides acids

Eats and oils from a number of animal and vegetable sources are the feedstocks for the manufacture of natural higher alcohols. These materials consist of triglycerides glycerol esterified with three moles of a fatty acid. The alcohol is manufactured by reduction of the fatty acid functional group. A small amount of natural alcohol is also obtained commercially by saponification of natural wax esters of the higher alcohols, such as wool grease. 

MetaUic ions are precipitated as their hydroxides from aqueous caustic solutions. The reactions of importance in chlor—alkali operations are removal of magnesium as Mg(OH)2 during primary purification and of other impurities for pollution control. Organic acids react with NaOH to form soluble salts. Saponification of esters to form the organic acid salt and an alcohol and internal coupling reactions involve NaOH, as exemplified by reaction with triglycerides to form soap and glycerol,... 

Fats and oils are one of the oldest classes of chemical compounds used by humans. Animal fats were prized for edibiUty, candles, lamp oils, and conversion to soap. Fats and oils are composed primarily of triglycerides (1), esters of glycerol and fatty acids. However, some oils such as sperm whale (1), jojoba (2), and orange roughy (3) are largely composed of wax esters (2). Waxes (qv) are esters of fatty acids with long-chain aUphatic alcohols, sterols, tocopherols, or similar materials. 

Fatty acids derived from animal and vegetable sources generally contain an even number of carbon atoms siace they are biochemically derived by condensation of two carbon units through acetyl or malonyl coenzyme A. However, odd-numbered and branched fatty acid chains are observed ia small concentrations ia natural triglycerides, particularly mminant animal fats through propionyl and methylmalonyl coenzyme respectively. The glycerol backbone is derived by biospeciftc reduction of dihydroxyacetone. 

Table 1. Fatty Acids Found in Naturally Occurring Triglycerides...

Multiply unsaturated linolenic and linoleic acid residues make triglycerides more vulnerable to oxidative degradation than oleic acid which is relatively stable. It is therefore desirable to hydrogenate the most unsaturated residues selectively without production of large quantities of stearic (fully saturated) acid. The stepwise reduction of an unsaturated oil may be visualized as ... 

RandomiZation/Interesterification. Transesterification occurs when a carboxyUc acid (acidolysis) or alcohol (alcoholysis) reacts with an ester to produce a different ester (20). Ester—ester interchange is also a form of transesterification. If completely unsaturated triglyceride oil (UUU) reacts with a totally saturated fat (SSS) in the presence of an active catalyst such as sodium, potassium, or sodium alkoxide, triglycerides of intermediate composition may be formed. 

Fig. 6. Melting points of mono-, di-, and triglycerides, where H is fatty acid I, triglyceride 1,3-diglyceride and, 1-monoglyceride.

Infrared spectra of fats and oils are similar regardless of their composition. The principal absorption seen is the carbonyl stretching peak which is virtually identical for all triglyceride oils. The most common appHcation of infrared spectroscopy is the determination of trans fatty acids occurring in a partially hydrogenated fat (58,59). Absorption at 965 - 975 cm is unique to the trans functionaHty. Near infrared spectroscopy has been utilized for simultaneous quantitation of fat, protein, and moisture in grain samples (60). The technique has also been reported to be useful for instmmental determination of iodine value (61). 

Free Fatty Acid and Saponification Value. High concentrations of free fatty acid are undesirable in cmde triglyceride oils because they... 

Substitutes. As of this writing, only one fat substitute, caprenin, a triglyceride composed of capric acid [334-48-5] capryUc acid... 

Esters. The mono- and diesters of glycerol and fatty acids occur naturally ia fats that have become partially hydrolyzed. The triglycerides are primary components of aaturaHy occurring fats and fatty oils. 

Phospholipids. Phospholipids, components of every cell membrane, are active determinants of membrane permeabiUty. They are sources of energy, components of certain enzyme systems, and involved in Hpid transport in plasma. Because of their polar nature, phosphoUpids can act as emulsifying agents (42). The stmcture of most phosphoUpids resembles that of triglycerides except that one fatty acid radical has been replaced by a radical derived from phosphoric acid and a nitrogen base, eg, choline or serine. 

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