Organic chem- carboxylic acids

Audi SG

Linoleic acid C17H31COOH is a fatty acid found mainly in sunflower or palm oil

Stearic acid has a molecular formula of C17H35COOH.

Describe how linoleic acid can be converted to stearic acid.

Really at a loss of how to tackle this question. Well, linoleic acid needs another 4H atoms to form stearic acid but is there such kind of reaction involving reaction solely with Hydrogen? I doubt so, so is there any other suitable reaction?

Thanks guys!

UltimaOnline SG

You can carry out hydrogenation (nickel or palladium catalyst) on the unstaturated fatty acid to reduce it to the saturated fatty acid (without reducing the carboxylic acid group).

Audi SG

You can carry out hydrogenation (nickel or palladium catalyst) on the unstaturated fatty acid to reduce it to the saturated fatty acid (without reducing the carboxylic acid group).

Thinking about that too. But hydrogenation is part of addition reaction so we can only add H2. where does the other 2 H atoms come from? Thank you

UltimaOnline SG

From another hydrogen molecule. You’ll be mixing millions of hydrogen molecules in the actual industrial process, you realize that?

Put in another way, put a “2” coefficient in front of your H2 in your balanced equation.

2H2 + 1(unsaturated fatty acid) = 1(saturated fatty acid)

Audi SG

From another hydrogen molecule. You’ll be mixing millions of hydrogen molecules in the actual industrial process, you realize that?

Put in another way, put a “2” coefficient in front of your H2 in your balanced equation.

2H2 + 1(unsaturated fatty acid) = 1(saturated fatty acid)

Didn't know that in addition reaction, we can actaully try to balance it cuz i always though addition means to solely "add". I thought final product is for example

C2H4 + Br2 -> C2H4Br2

So adding another 2 in front of H2 is acceptable?

UltimaOnline SG

Yes.