Alkaline hydrolysis of fats and oils (saponification) yields glycerol and which of the following products?

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Multiple Choice

Alkaline hydrolysis of fats and oils (saponification) yields glycerol and which of the following products?

In saponification, fats and oils are triglycerides, molecules made of glycerol linked to three fatty acids by ester bonds. When treated with a strong base, those ester bonds are cleaved. The glycerol backbone remains, while the fatty acids are converted into their sodium or potassium salts, which we call soap. So the alkaline hydrolysis of fats and oils yields glycerol plus soap. If an acid were used instead, you’d get glycerol plus free fatty acids, but under alkaline conditions the fatty acids form salts, not free acids.

In saponification, fats and oils are triglycerides, molecules made of glycerol linked to three fatty acids by ester bonds. When treated with a strong base, those ester bonds are cleaved. The glycerol backbone remains, while the fatty acids are converted into their sodium or potassium salts, which we call soap. So the alkaline hydrolysis of fats and oils yields glycerol plus soap. If an acid were used instead, you’d get glycerol plus free fatty acids, but under alkaline conditions the fatty acids form salts, not free acids.

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