Question

Name the reaction which is commonly used in the conversion of vegetable oils to fats. Explain the reaction involved in detail.

Answer 1

Addition reaction is used in the conversion of vegetable oils to fats. Hydrogen is added to vegetable oils (unsaturated hydrocarbons) in the presence of catalyst such as palladium or nickel to give fats (saturated hydrocarbons). 

$$\begin{array}{c}\mathrm{R}\phantom{.......}\mathrm{R}\phantom{................}\mathrm{H}\phantom{....}\mathrm{H}\phantom{......}\\ \mathrm{\setminus }\phantom{.....}/\phantom{..................}|\phantom{....}|\phantom{......}\\ \mathrm{C}=\mathrm{C}\underset{\mathrm{H}{\phantom{A}}_2}{\overset{\mathrm{Nickel}\mathrm{catalyst}}{\to }}\mathrm{R}-\mathrm{C}-\mathrm{C}-\mathrm{R}\\ /\phantom{.....}\mathrm{\setminus }\phantom{..................}|\phantom{....}|\phantom{......}\\ \mathrm{R}\phantom{......}\mathrm{R}\phantom{................}\mathrm{R}\phantom{...}\mathrm{R}\phantom{......}\end{array}$$

Note : Animal fats generally contain saturated fatty acids which are unhealthy while vegetable oils contain unsaturated fatty acids which are healthy.