Esters Flashcards
What function group do esters have?
-COO
What are esters used in?
flavourings, fragrances and solvents
How are esters formed?
Via a condensation reaction between an alcohol and carboxylic acid.
What is a condensation reaction?
When two molecules join together and in the process eliminate a small molecule. With esters, an alcohol and carboxylic acid join together to make and ester and eliminate water.
What happens when esters are hydrolysed?
The ester is split into the alcohol and carboxylic acid it was made from.
What happens in a hydrolysis reaction?
A molecule is reacted with water to break it down into smaller molecules.
What are fats and oils?
Fats and oils are esters.
How are fats and oils made?
They are made from a condensation reaction between 3 fatty acids and one glycerol molecule.
Why do edible oils have lower melting points than edible fats?
This is because:
1) Oils contain more C=C bonds than fats. This means that these bonds distort the shape of the molecule and as a result, the molecule can’t pack closely together. This means that the LDF’s in oils are not as strong and do not require as much energy to break them.
2) Fat molecules do not have as high a degree of unsaturation and as a result, they can pack closely together. This means that the LDF’s in fat molecules are stronger as a result, hence why the melting point is greater.
What do fats and oils do in terms of body benefits?
They are a concentrated source of energy and they are essential for the transport and storage of fat-soluble vitamins
