Lesson 13-SIMPLE REACTIONS OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

COMBUSTION

What causes fire to occur? Three essential ingredients: hydrocarbon fuel (such as wood, coal, propane, methane, which is comprised of organic compounds), molecular oxygen, and heat.

ADDITION

Multiple bonds, such as a double or a triple bond, can be converted into

other functional groups using addition reactions. Other elements such as

hydrogen, halogens, compounds like water and functional groups such as the

hydroxyl group can be attached or added to one or both of the carbons involved

in the multiple bond.

CONDENSATION

The term condensation is used to refer to any reaction in which two molecules undergo addition accompanied by the loss of a small molecule such as water, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen gas etc. 

SAPONIFICATION OF FATS

Fats and oils can participate in a variety of chemical reactions—for example, because triglycerides are esters, they can be hydrolyzed in the presence of an acid, a base, or specific enzymes known as lipases.

How soap is made?

This process is called saponification, from the Latin word sapo (meaning soap).

Saponification

Esters can be converted into carboxylic acids by treatment with sodium hydroxide followed by an acid. 

Soaps

are compounds that contain a polar group on one end of the molecule and a nonpolar group on the other end. The hydrophobic tails of soap molecules surround oil molecules, forming a micelle.