Lipids

• Are substances of biological origin that have

the common property of being soluble in non-
polar solvents.
• Fatty acids are the building blocks component
of lipids.
• Fatty acids have a long non-polar hydrocarbon
(tail) and a single carboxyl group (head)
• The hydrocarbon chain of fatty acids can be
either:
1. Saturated: only single bonds between carbon
atoms
2. Unsaturated: one or more double bonds
between carbon atoms
• Unsaturated fatty acids can be subdivided into
the following categories:
1. Monounsaturated: contain only one double
bond.

2. Polyunsaturated: contain many double

bonds.
• Unsaturated fatty acids have lower melting
points than the corresponding saturated fatty
acids.
• The greater the degree of unsaturation, the
lower the melting point.
• Saturated fats are found in meat and dairy
products and oils
• Tryglyceride
G
L Fatty Acid
Y
S Fatty Acid
R
O Fatty Acid
L
• Have no charged site.
• It poses a polar head and 3 non polar tails.
Hydrolysis of triglycerides
Formation of triglycerides
 Role of fats in the body
• Fat is the main energy store in the body.
• Fat deposits cushion and protect vital organs
and help insulate the body.
• fat is a carrier for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D,
E and K, and enables their absorption.
 Chemical Properties
1. Acrolein test
 General test for fats and oils
 Glycerol is heated in presence of potassium
bisulphate resulting a dehydration and
oxidation of glycerol and produces an
aldehyde called acrolein which is known for
its sharp smell.
2. Saponification
• Saponification is the reaction between a fat or
oil and a base, producing glycerol and a salt
(soap)
fat or oil + base -----> glycerol + salt (soap)
• Soaps are usually sodium or potassium salts of
long-chain fatty acids.
• Soaps are cleaning agents or detergents.
• Molecules of soap are made up of two parts:
a non-polar, hydrophobic tail consisting of a
long hydrocarbon chain and a hydrophilic,
negatively charged, carboxylate ion (anion)
head

head
tail
 Cleaning action of Soap
• When a soap such as sodium stearate
dissolves in water, carboxylate anions and
metal cations are produced:
- + water
CH3(CH2)16COO Na CH3(CH2)16COO-(aq) + Na+(aq)

• The non-polar, hydrophobic, long hydrocarbon

chain end of the carboxylate ion attaches to
non-polar dirt, grease and oil.
• The hydrophilic, carboxylate anion end is
attracted to polar water molecules by ion-
dipole interactions.