HN210 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Unsaturated Fat, Margarine, Alkene

• School: WLU
• Department: Health Sciences
• Course: HN210

Document Summary

Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction that involves the addition of hydrogen atoms to a compound. This process is commonly used to convert unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oils, into more saturated fats, such as margarine or shortening. The reaction typically involves the use of a metal catalyst, such as nickel or palladium, and hydrogen gas under high pressure. The reaction occurs when the unsaturated fat, also known as an alkene, is placed in a reactor with the metal catalyst and hydrogen gas. The metal catalyst helps to activate the hydrogen atoms, allowing them to bond with the unsaturated fat. As the reaction proceeds, the unsaturated fat becomes more saturated with hydrogen atoms, resulting in a more solid, stable compound. There are two types of hydrogenation reactions: partial and complete. In a partial hydrogenation reaction, only some of the unsaturated bonds in the fat are converted to saturated bonds.