Which of the following is the most plausible explanation for the fact that the s

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Which of the following is the most plausible explanation for the fact that the saponification of the triacylglycerol in the passage resulted in four different fatty acid salts? tion Foundational Concept:5 The principles that govern chemical interactions and reactions form the basis for a broader understanding of the molecular dynamics of living systems. Content Category:5D Structure, function, and reactivity of biologically-relevant molecules Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skill: 2 Scientific Reasoning and Problem-solving Discipline: Organic Chemistry o A. The triacylglycerol molecule consisted of four different fatty acid units. o B. Glycerol was transformed into a fatty acid salt under the reaction conditions. O C. One of the fatty acid salts was unsaturated, and it completely isomerized under the reaction o D. One of the fatty acid salts was unsaturated, and a small percentage isomerized under the reaction conditions conditions. If one of the R groups in the triacylglycerol contained a carbon-carbon double bond and if isomerization of the double bond occurred during the saponification reaction, four fatty acids would be obtained instead of three. Thus, D is the best answer I missed this question because I..

Explanation / Answer

Vegetable oils and animal fats are both comprised of triglycerides: molecules of glycerol that are esterified to three long chain carboxylic acids (fatty acids, are merely carboxylic acids consisting of a long hydrocarbon chain at one end and a carboxyl group (-COOH) at the other end.). They are generally represented as RCOOH. Fatty acids contain carbon-carbon single bonds called saturated fatty acids.Unsaturated fatty acids contain one or more double bonds between carbon atoms.

When triglycerides are combined with an aqueous base such as NaOH or KOH, hydrolysis of the triglyceride esters occurs in a process called saponification. The product of this reaction is soap, which contains the salts of the fatty acids and free glycerol.

Glycerol has three alcohol functional groups (-OH group) and fatty acids have the carboxyl group (-COOH group). Since glycerol has three –OH groups, three fatty acids must react with one glycerol molecule to make three ester functional groups and form triesters of glycerol or triglyceride. During this process three molecules of water are eliminated. The three fatty acids may or may not be identical.

- if one of the R groups in the triacylglycerol contained a carbon-carbon double bond and if isomerization of the double bond occurred during the saponification reaction, four fatty acids would be obtained instead of three. So the answer is

one of the fatty acid salts was unsaturated, and a small percentage isomerize under the reaction conditions

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