3 molecules of Palmitic Acid (C16H32O2) are joined by a molecule of glycerol. Whats the Formula?

Question

The 16,32 and 2 in the question are subscripts. Im pretty sure that palmatic acid is saturated. If 3 molecules of it are joined to a molecule of glycerol (C3H8O3 3,8,3 are subscripts), then what is the formula of the resulting molecule?

Answer 1

Hi,

You will form ester linkages between the carboxyl group on the palmitic acid and the hydroxyl group of the glycerol.

So when estiferication takes place, (see website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esterificat... the hydrogen from the carboxyl group and the OH from the glycerol molecule react to gether to form water and the ester linkage is what makes the tri-fatty glycerol molecule.

So. you need to subtract out three waters (or 6H and 3O) from the total chemical formula because of the esterification reaction.

So you will have:

3(C16H32O2) + C3H5(OH)3 ---> C51H104O9  - 3HOH

= [ C51H98O6 ] That is the correct formula.

Just double check the math, and make sure that I did not make a simple error.

good luck.